The aftermath of October 7, the ongoing war, institutional tensions, questions of national cohesion, and the reconfiguration of Israel’s political center have transformed the coming elections into far more than a conventional electoral contest.

The Candidate Profiles section examines the major political figures shaping Israel’s next phase: party leaders, former military chiefs, coalition strategists, emerging national actors, and the broader political forces surrounding them.

These profiles are not campaign materials or partisan endorsements. They are long-form analytical studies examining political trajectories, leadership styles, institutional relationships, ideological frameworks, and the strategic questions influencing Israel’s future.

New profiles will be added regularly throughout the election cycle.

Current and upcoming profiles include:

• Benjamin Netanyahu
• Gadi Eisenkot
• Naftali Bennett
• Yair Golan
• Avigdor Lieberman
• Yair Lapid
• Benny Gantz
• Bezalel Smotrich
• Itamar Ben-Gvir
• Aryeh Deri
• Yitzhak Goldknopf
• Yoaz Hendel
• Moshe Gafni
• Gideon Sa’ar
• Other major political and institutional actors shaping Israel’s 2026 elections