Transcript [00:00] Welcome to the weekly update of Israel [00:03] and Christians today, [00:05] 31st of October 2026. [00:08] We're going to talk about the [00:10] elections in Israel that took place [00:14] this week and the title is a nation [00:16] divided. [00:18] The Bible tells us that the Lord will [00:20] bring his people home to the land and [00:22] they will become one and God's holiness [00:25] will be revealed through them to the [00:27] nations. For example, in Ezekiel we read [00:31] in [00:32] chapter 37, I will make them one nation [00:36] in the land on the mountains of Israel. [00:39] There will be one king over them all and [00:41] they will never again be two nations or [00:44] be divided into two kingdoms. [00:46] They will no longer defile themselves [00:49] with their idols and vile images or with [00:52] any of their offenses for I will save [00:55] them from all their sinful backsliding. [00:58] And I will cleanse them and they will be [01:01] my people and I will be their God. [01:04] And quote, the Lord did not say [01:08] uh [01:09] in the prophets that it would be easy to [01:12] unify his people. He didn't say that the [01:15] people of Israel would all agree with [01:17] each other [01:18] or that it would happen in a particular [01:20] way or in a particular time frame. [01:23] And in fact, as it turns out, the [01:25] process of making them one nation in the [01:28] land is proving to be a very difficult [01:31] drawn-out process. [01:33] This week Israelis went to the polls. [01:36] The results, Netanyahu's block of [01:38] parties has lost seats. [01:41] Netanyahu has has of course been Prime [01:43] Minister over the last four years over a [01:46] right-wing religious cabinet. [01:50] Uh although he has lost seats, it is [01:53] still the largest block [01:56] but not big enough to form a majority in [01:58] the Knesset. the anti-Netanyahu parties, [02:02] the opposition have failed in their bid [02:04] to become the largest block. [02:07] But, there is now a political stalemate [02:10] with no clear pathway towards a stable [02:12] government. [02:14] The country seems more divided than ever [02:16] in [02:17] these groups that refuse to work [02:19] together, [02:20] but none of which has enough support to [02:22] form a government on its own. [02:24] The mainly secular Zionists who are [02:26] united in their [02:28] hate of Netanyahu, [02:30] uh then we have the mainly national [02:32] religious and ultra-Orthodox who support [02:35] Netanyahu, and then the Arab parties. [02:38] And in this weekly update, we give an [02:39] overview of the elections, inside into [02:42] what comes next, and some guidelines of [02:44] how to pray for the people of Israel at [02:46] this critical time in their history. [02:51] So, let's first look at the elections. [02:53] The political landscape of Israel is [02:55] complex and largely misunderstood and [02:58] misrepresented in the international [03:00] media. In 2015, Reuven Rivlin, then [03:03] Israel's president, gave a celebrated [03:05] speech describing his country as four [03:09] tribes, as he called them. [03:11] The secular, the national religious, the [03:13] ultra-Orthodox, and the Arabs. Each with [03:16] its own schools, its own newspapers, and [03:19] its own idea of what the state is for. [03:21] At the ballot box, the lines fall [03:24] slightly differently, but the principle [03:25] holds. [03:27] And these tribes were all represented in [03:29] the elections this week. While not all [03:32] votes have been finally counted, [03:36] the result of the elections is quite [03:38] clear. The majority of Israelis want [03:40] Netanyahu and his religious nationalist [03:43] government to be replaced, [03:45] but nobody can agree on who or what [03:48] should replace them. [03:50] The Netanyahu block that currently forms [03:52] the government has lost so many seats [03:54] that it can no can not longer form a [03:56] majority [03:58] over the Knesset, the Israeli [04:00] parliament, but the anti-Israel the [04:02] sorry, the anti-Netanyahu block has [04:04] received even less votes. The Arab [04:06] parties [04:08] increased their number of seats and are [04:10] now the potential kingmakers. Although [04:13] as we'll hear in a minute, that is [04:15] highly unlikely. In total, over 30 [04:18] political parties vied for seats in the [04:20] Knesset. Only 12 passed the threshold [04:23] needed to be represented. These 12 [04:25] parties are grouped in three blocks. [04:28] Pro-Netanyahu block, which includes [04:31] secular Zionist party Likud, plus the [04:33] national religious and ultra-Orthodox [04:35] parties. [04:37] Secondly, the anti-Netanyahu block, [04:39] containing a group of center-left and [04:41] right-wing parties united in little [04:44] other than their [04:46] >> [snorts] [04:46] >> conviction [04:47] that Netanyahu must be replaced. [04:51] And then thirdly, the Arab block, a [04:52] group of Arab parties. [04:56] Netanyahu's block has won 53 seats [05:00] uh against 48 for the opposition [05:02] parties, and the two Arab parties, [05:05] the Joint List and Ra'am, have 19 seats [05:07] together. [05:08] Nobody is near the 61 needed to govern. [05:11] Netanyahu's Likud remains the largest [05:14] party with 26 seats, ahead of Eisenkot's [05:18] Yasha party on 21. [05:21] The prime minister's coalition has thus [05:23] lost its majority, but the opposition [05:25] has failed to win one. [05:27] Israel has voted for change without [05:29] agreeing what change should look like. [05:32] Israeli Arabs turned out in larger [05:33] numbers than ever before. [05:36] Their number of Knesset seats increasing [05:38] from current 10 to 19. [05:42] Um [05:44] The problem is now that both Netanyahu's [05:46] block and the opposition parties have [05:48] sworn they will not govern with the [05:50] Arabs. [05:51] And moreover, the opposition parties [05:53] have all sworn they'll never govern with [05:55] govern with Netanyahu. [05:57] Eisenkot's party, for example, was [05:59] created to replace Bibi. [06:01] Bennett has ruled out working with [06:03] Netanyahu. Lieberman has made opposition [06:06] to Netanyahu almost a defining feature [06:09] of his political career. [06:11] So, that leaves [06:13] uh um [06:14] really two possibilities. First, the [06:16] possibility of a national unity [06:18] government, which could perhaps be [06:20] justified by the continuing [06:22] confrontation with Iran. [06:25] Netanyahu is arguing in that direction [06:27] and has already invoked the country's [06:29] military achievements. [06:31] Possibility of renewed action against [06:33] Iran as a reason for [06:36] a national unity government. The other [06:38] possibility is that nobody manages to [06:40] form a government and Israel goes back [06:42] to the polls. [06:44] And Netanyahu remains caretaker prime [06:46] minister in the meantime. [06:50] >> [snorts and clears throat] [06:50] >> This was all summed up by journalist [06:52] Jake Wallace Simons as follows, quote, [06:55] "The man whom his opponents have spent [06:58] years trying to remove would survive yet [07:00] another election without actually [07:02] winning it. Israel has produced an [07:04] overwhelming Zionist majority in [07:06] parliament, but one so bitterly divided [07:09] that it cannot agree on a government. [07:11] The Arab parties have won unprecedented [07:14] influence, but remain largely excluded [07:16] from the coalitions their votes could [07:18] sustain. [07:20] The opposition has spent years demanding [07:22] Netanyahu's removal, but cannot agree on [07:24] the means of achieving it. [07:27] Bibi has lost his majority, his enemies [07:29] have failed to win one, and in Israeli [07:31] politics, the margin between those two [07:33] things can mean the difference between [07:35] defeat and survival." End quote. [07:40] Moving on, uh in a dramatic development, [07:43] Supreme Court Justice Noam Solberg, who [07:46] chairs the Central Elections Committee, [07:49] has ordered the security organization [07:52] Shin Bet to investigate the possibility [07:54] that Qatar and Turkey may have [07:57] interfered with the elections. Evidence [08:01] has emerged [08:03] that Arab leaders may have received [08:06] bribes through channels that were [08:08] previously used to transfer terror [08:10] funds. [08:12] At the request of Likud, Solberg has [08:14] instructed Shin Bet chief David Zini to [08:17] open an investigation into quote [08:19] suspicions regarding foreign funding and [08:22] suspicion of electoral bribery by [08:24] foreign entities, close quote. [08:27] This is provoking much controversy about [08:29] the integrity of the Arab political [08:31] leadership and the extent to which they [08:33] are actually undermining the Jewish [08:34] state of Israel. This, of course, makes [08:37] it now virtually impossible [08:39] that either the pro-Netanyahu or [08:42] anti-Netanyahu camps will work together [08:44] with the Arab parties. So, what happens [08:47] from here? Well, Israel's President [08:49] Isaac Herzog will play a crucial role in [08:52] the coming weeks. [08:54] Uh while the presidency is mostly [08:56] ceremonial, the period right after an [08:58] election is when it matters most. [09:01] Herzog's job now is to decide who gets [09:04] the first chance to form the next [09:05] government. [09:07] And that is especially important given [09:09] the result. [09:11] Under Israel's basic law on government [09:12] formation, the president must consult [09:16] the parliamentary factions and assign a [09:18] Knesset member to form a government [09:20] within 7 days of the official results [09:23] being published. Herzog says formal [09:25] consultations [09:27] will begin once Solberg [09:29] >> [clears throat] [09:30] >> Solberg has submitted the final tallies, [09:33] which he expects in the coming week. [09:36] Subject, of course, to this whole issue [09:38] about the Arab parties. At meetings [09:40] [snorts] in Jerusalem, each elected [09:42] party recommends its choice for prime [09:44] minister, and the president then gives [09:46] one candidate the task of forming a [09:48] government. [09:50] He's supposed to pick the candidate with [09:52] the best chance of forming a government, [09:54] who is not necessarily the leader of the [09:56] party with the most seats. [09:59] If that candidate cannot assemble a [10:00] majority within maximum of 6 weeks, [10:03] others can be given a turn. [10:05] >> [clears throat] [10:06] >> And if no government can be formed, that [10:08] will could eventually lead to another [10:12] election. [10:13] In his first public comments after the [10:15] vote, Herzog urged the parties to do [10:18] everything possible to avoid another [10:20] election. [10:21] He said he also [10:24] expects everyone who comes to the [10:25] consultations to arrive with an open [10:28] mind. [10:29] He praised the exceptionally high [10:31] turnout as a mark of honor for Israeli [10:33] society. [10:34] He has said that he would do all he can [10:37] to avoid fresh elections, including [10:39] backing a unity government between [10:42] Netanyahu and Eisenkot. [10:44] He also vowed not to let outside [10:46] pressure, [10:47] notably from Donald Trump, to sway his [10:50] decision. Herzog's [10:52] first choice will be whether to ask [10:55] Netanyahu or Eisenkot to form the [10:57] government. [10:58] He may try to steer them towards a unity [11:00] government, but it's unclear [11:03] whether such an arrangement is uh [11:05] possible. [11:07] So, Israel is now at a critical point in [11:09] its history. Everything changed after [11:12] the attack of 7th October 2023, 3 years [11:16] ago. [11:17] Broadly speaking, the country has become [11:19] more nationalist, more [11:20] security-conscious, [11:22] and less inclined to compromise with its [11:24] external enemies [11:26] than the Israel of a generation ago. [11:28] Indeed, Israel is still fighting its war [11:31] on seven fronts [11:32] >> [snorts] [11:33] >> against Iran and its proxies. [11:36] But the nation is exhausted. There is [11:39] much anger and frustration, and [11:41] paradoxically, even more than ever [11:43] before, Israel has been condemned and [11:46] criticized in the international [11:47] community. [11:49] It [snorts] is increasingly isolated and [11:51] alone. And so, at this time, it's more [11:53] important than ever that Israel have a [11:55] strong government, and that the people [11:58] be united as one. And unity is exactly [12:01] what the elections have shown is [12:02] lacking. [12:03] >> [snorts] [12:04] >> So, let's pray because only the God of [12:06] Israel can bring the unity that is so [12:09] needed, and for which its people thirst. [12:12] It is to him that we must turn with all [12:15] our intercessions and prayers. [12:18] So, let's pray in the coming days for [12:21] President Herzog [12:24] that the Lord will give him wisdom, [12:27] courage, and discernment as he consults [12:29] with every party [12:31] and chooses who will be asked to form a [12:32] government. Guard him from pressure [12:35] from within Israel and abroad and help [12:37] him to act with integrity for the good [12:40] of the whole nation. [12:42] As we read in Proverbs 21:1, "The king's [12:45] heart is in the hand of the Lord. He [12:47] turneth it whithersoever he will." [12:50] Next, let's pray for all of the nation's [12:53] leaders. We lift up Benjamin Netanyahu, [12:55] Gadi Eizenkot, and all party leaders, [12:58] Jewish and Arab alike. Soften hearts [13:01] where there is pride and open minds [13:03] where there is division. [13:05] Pray for help [13:07] that to put the wealth that they will [13:09] put the wealth where the people above [13:11] party interests and spare the country of [13:15] the strain of yet another election. [13:17] >> [clears throat] [13:17] >> Let us pray [13:19] >> [snorts] [13:19] >> that the Lord give them wisdom to govern [13:22] justly in a time of war and great [13:25] uncertainty. [13:26] We should pray for the newly elected [13:28] Knesset members, for every member of the [13:31] new Knesset whatever their party, faith, [13:33] or background, may they serve with [13:35] honesty and humility, seek the good of [13:38] all who live in the land. [13:41] Next, we pray for the Jewish people of [13:44] Israel specifically. After years of war, [13:46] grief, and division, may the Lord bring [13:49] comfort to families who've lost loved [13:51] ones and healing to a weary nation. [13:54] Unite the people who have been deeply [13:57] divided, and above all, draw hearts to [13:59] yourself that many would come to know [14:02] the hope found in their Messiah. [14:05] We pray also for the Arab, Druze, and [14:07] other citizens of Israel. [14:10] >> [snorts] [14:11] >> And the Arab citizens, the Druze [14:13] community, all minorities, the Bedouins [14:16] and others, many of whom feel their [14:18] voices are not heard. Give them a fair [14:20] place in the life of the nation. [14:23] Will you destroy all evil [14:25] >> [clears throat] [14:26] >> in them, [14:27] influences amongst them, break down [14:29] suspicion between communities, and build [14:32] trust, respect, and peace [14:34] among them. Pray for the Christians in [14:37] the land. [14:38] Um strengthen them to be salt and light [14:41] to pray faithfully for their leaders [14:44] and to show the love of God across every [14:46] dividing line. [14:48] Finally, we pray for the peace of [14:50] Jerusalem. They shall prosper that love [14:53] thee, we read in Psalm 122 verse 6. [14:57] Lord, we ask for peace within Israel's [14:59] borders and with her neighbors and for [15:01] the true and lasting peace that comes [15:03] only through the prince of peace. May he [15:07] come soon, the Messiah of Israel. [15:11] And so we close this week's weekly [15:13] update. Thank you for listening. Wish [15:15] you every blessing, [15:17] and we look forward to seeing you next [15:19] week.
