Wahljahr 2026 in Israel: die Arbeit des New Israel Fund für freie und faire Wahlen

Election-Safeguarding Strategy

The New Israel Fund (NIF) has developed an Election-Safeguarding Strategy to defend democratic rights and build democratic infrastructure both during and after the election.

Current Political Climate

Since taking office, the Netanyahu government has initiated several laws and procedures that could jeopardize the democratic process of the elections. The government aims to weaken the division of power, restrict civil and human rights, and make it harder for the democratic civil society to operate. The "Justice Reform" initiative, for example, seeks to limit the competencies of the Supreme Court and its ability to review political decisions.

Restrictions on Media Freedom

On November 24, 2025, the cabinet approved two draft laws that could enable restrictions on press freedom, particularly regarding media reporting on issues of national security. Additionally, a resolution was issued prohibiting communication between government agencies and the newspaper Haaretz, which effectively undermines the credibility of critical media. Another draft law proposes privatizing the public radio broadcaster Kan, which would have profound implications for the independence of journalism in Israel.

Parliamentary Discourse Under Pressure

In 2024, MK Oded Forer (Yisrael Beitenu) initiated a disqualification procedure against Ofer Cassif from the Hadash-Ta’al party, citing his public criticism of the Gaza Strip conflict. In 2025, a similar procedure was initiated against Ayman Odeh, Hadash-Ta’al’s chairman. Despite failing to provide evidence, these developments exemplify the systematic effort to exclude voices that criticize annexation of the West Bank and human rights violations.

Civil Society Response

NIF’s Election-Safeguarding Strategy recognizes the crucial role of civil society in defending democracy and civil and human rights, not just on election day but also in the lead-up and afterward. As NIF CEO Mickey Gitzin puts it, “Democracy is a long journey of Sisyphus work.” NIF supports five key action areas:

• Protection of Democratic Participation: NIF supports organizations like the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Adalah – The Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israel who legally challenge attempts to exclude Arab parties from the Knesset and undermine the integrity of the electoral process.

• Mobilization of Voters: NIF partner organization Qadaya strengthens Palestinian civil society in Israel and builds networks within Arab-Israeli communities and universities to promote democratic participation.

• Strengthening Democratic Infrastructure: NIF strengthens the digital and communicative competencies of the democratic sector to strengthen democratic discourse and combat misinformation. The Civil Society Protection Hub investigates social media and messaging apps for threats, disinformation, and foreign influence. It also uncovers Arabic-language content on Palestinian social media.

• Visibility of Jewish-Palestinian Collaboration: NIF fosters civil society engagement against societal fragmentation and the strengthening of a democratic narrative of Jewish-Palestinian co-belonging. This includes organizations combating racism or initiatives like Standing Together, which brings together Jewish and Palestinian citizens behind shared democratic values and visions for Israel.

• Preparation for Post-Election Scenarios: NIF and its partners prepare for various election scenarios, including a continuation of the current government configuration or a new political configuration that could open up space for reforms to strengthen democracy, civil rights, and Jewish-Palestinian partnership.

Long-Term Investments for a Democratic Future

NIF provides both crisis intervention and long-term investments in democratic infrastructure to secure Israel’s democracy, regardless of the outcome of the election. By supporting short-term crisis management and long-term democratic infrastructure development, NIF contributes significantly to defending Israel’s democracy today, on election day, and beyond. Thank you for your support in this endeavor.