High voter turnout in Israel

Israeli voters showed strong support for democracy by participating in large numbers in the recent elections, even though former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had tried to delay the election and limit participation by Israelis living abroad and the Arab community. The election took place during a time of high political tension, with voters seeking to challenge government policies that have been in place since the major terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, which killed 1,200 people.

Arab voters make historic impact

Arab citizens, who had been less active in previous elections, voted in record numbers to challenge a government they believe has mistreated them, left them vulnerable to dangerous groups, and limited their freedom of expression. This marked a significant change, with one observer calling it "a decisive step in the right direction" for Arab political engagement in Israel.

Haaretz covers the election

The Haaretz newspaper, a liberal-left publication with a long history in Israeli journalism, reported on the election and its implications. Founded in 1919 as the first daily newspaper published in Hebrew in Palestine under British occupation, Haaretz remains a key reference point among Israeli politicians and intellectuals.

Background of Haaretz

Haaretz is part of the Schocken group, a Jewish publishing dynasty founded by Salman Schocken in Germany and later in Palestine. The newspaper's current editor is Amos Schocken, and its editor-in-chief is Aluf Benn. Haaretz maintains a centrist stance, independent of both the dominant labor movement and the nationalist right.

Reaching a wide audience

Haaretz emphasizes analysis and debate, with a print run of 72,000 copies for its Hebrew-language edition and 24,000 for its English-language version. Its online presence, particularly the English-language site, reaches a broad international audience, including European and North American Jews, as well as non-Jewish observers of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.