Who's Who in the Israeli Opposition

As Israel approaches a historic election - perhaps the most important in its history - and the far-right and ultra-Orthodox camp remains united behind Prime Minister Netanyahu, the landscape of the opposition is rapidly changing.

A diverse set of parties, from center-right technocrats to Arab minority representatives, now compete to define what a post-Netanyahu Israel could look like - and, of course, to ensure that the post-Netanyahu era arrives at all. While all share some basic propositions - supporting universal military draft, establishing a national commission of inquiry, and rejecting the nationalist-messianic policies led by the far right - understanding the nuances between them is essential for analyzing the political moment and the challenges ahead.

Together (BeYachad), led by Naftali Bennett & Yair Lapid: Center-Right Opposition

Together positions itself firmly on the center-right, emphasizing “life itself” issues: effective governance, economic growth, education reform, mental-health services, effective policing, and rebuilding institutional trust. Their core message is competence - rooted in the achievements of the 2021–2022 “change government”, which Bennett and Lapid led and still view as proof they can deliver results.

Bennet and Lapid. Led the "Change Government" in 2021-2022, and rely on it as proof they can deliver results.

Strategically, Together aims to attract traditional right-leaning voters disillusioned with Netanyahu but still preferring hawkish governance - a group we identified two months ago as the “woke hawks.” They avoid left-wing branding, directly address Likud-disappointed voters, and explicitly oppose forming a coalition with the Arab parties, believing this protects their credibility among mainstream right-leaning Israelis.

Their main weakness is pure mathematics: without Arab-party support, building a 61-seat coalition will be extremely difficult. This is exactly the point Likud uses against them, repeatedly claiming that “Bennett will build a government with the Arabs.”

Forward! (Yashar!), led by Gadi Eisenkot: the Pragmatic, Down-to-Earth Candidate

Forward is a centrist party built around the promise of effective, responsible government. Their campaign is the most aggressive in directly targeting Netanyahu’s failures - from governance breakdowns to the national disaster of October 7 to Likud’s seemingly careless approach toward Israeli casualties. The party’s resonance is strongly shaped by Eisenkot’s personal story: having lost his son during the Gaza war, he is widely seen as authentic, patriotic, and relatable, especially among traditionalist voters.

Eisenkot. Having lost his son during the Gaza war, he is widely seen as authentic, patriotic, and relatable

Their strategy focuses on responsible leadership, institutional reform, and competent governance, aiming to be the political home for voters who want results without polarization. Forward’s main weakness is that their platform remains vague, with “effectiveness” functioning as a catch-all rather than a detailed program. Eisenkot’s low-key, non-charismatic personality is a double-edged sword: it enhances his trustworthiness but may limit the party’s ability to inspire or mobilize large blocs of voters.

Yisrael Beitenu, led by Avigdor Lieberman: Will Focus on Likud-Disappointed Voters

Yisrael Beitenu continues to champion a blend of right-wing, security-minded realism and secularist populism, but this cycle they are expanding their appeal by directly targeting the Likud base - peripheral towns, traditionalist communities, moderate religious Zionists, and the Druze population. Lieberman stresses civil equality, ending religious coercion, and a hawkish, assertive national-security doctrine, relying heavily on his record as the only politician who publicly and consistently called to dismantle Hamas years before October 7.

Lieberman. Relying on his record as the only politician who publicly and consistently called to dismantle Hamas years before October 7.

The party’s strategy is also based on in economic neoliberalism, positioning itself as the authentic economic right that will not “bend” to the ultra-Orthodox, who overwhelmingly rely on state subsidies.

The main vulnerability is Lieberman himself: his long record of dramatic statements that never materialized weakens his credibility, and his confrontational persona limits expansion beyond his core electorate. While he may successfully pull votes from Likud, it is unclear whether the Israeli public is ready for a prime minister with a heavy Russian accent.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan: The Last Lefties

The Democrats are center-left, and are the only Zionist party openly advocating Jewish-Arab partnership and a two-state solution. However, they understand that these messages are challenging - to say the least - in post-October 7 Israel, so their campaign will foreground civilian issues: separation of religion and state, education reform, cost of living, and protection of democratic institutions.

Yair Golan. His audience includes liberal centrists, former Labor voters, and Israelis who believe in shared society

Their target audience includes liberal centrists, former Labor voters, and Israelis who believe in shared society - including many participants in the anti-judicial coup protests. Their primary weakness is the eroded status of “left,” “peace,” and “Arab partnership” branding in the Israeli public. The pro-peace camp has not recovered since October 7, and association with these themes risks alienating mainstream voters, especially younger voters who - unlike in the U.S. - increasingly lean right. Their challenge is to reframe Jewish-Arab partnership and peace-seeking as patriotic rather than naïve.

The Arab Parties, the Joint List and Its Components: More Divided than United

The Arab parties remain the primary voices for Israel’s Arab minority but face a difficult political landscape. Some factions will concentrate on bread-and-butter issues, particularly crime reduction, housing, and infrastructure. Others - particularly Balad, the more Palestinian-nationalist party - will emphasize Palestinian national issues, sometimes including inflammatory statements such as referring to IDF soldiers as war criminals.

Left to right: Ahmed Tibi, Sami Abu-Shchada, Aymen Odeh, and Mansour Abbas, the leaders of the four Arab parties. They will have to overcome major political differences.

Their strength is their ability to represent Arab constituencies that traditionally vote at lower rates than their share of the population (21%). A unified Joint List is expected to increase turnout significantly, which could meaningfully shift mandates within the opposition bloc.

However, their major weakness is cohesion: the bloc consists of four distinct parties, ranging from the pragmatic Ra’am (led by Mansour Abbas, who essentially accepted Israel's Jewish character) to the hardline nationalist Balad. Maintaining a unified electoral front will be extremely challenging, and fragmentation risks lowering turnout.

Conclusion

At the bottom line, the main challenge for the opposition parties remains the same: ensuring that no vote goes to waste (as happened in the last election, when Meretz failed to cross the threshold) and achieving the majority needed to oust Netanyahu. That depends on whether these parties can inspire voters, cooperate with one another, and overcome their internal contradictions - not only to shape the next government, but to influence the broader recovery arc of Israel.