ISRAEL
Analyst
Sani Ziv
UN Economic ConsultantRecent Country Insights
Political update – November 6, 2026: New paths open for Eisenkot, but forming a government remains a long way off
ISRAEL · Report · 06 Nov 2026
Following the October 27 elections, Eisenkot is expected to receive the mandate to form a government, backed by recommendations from 67 Knesset members but without a clear coalition majority. Lieberman’s willingness to negotiate with ultra-Orthodox parties has opened a new avenue, although he is ...
Israel FX market: Weaker institutional flows and rising post-election political uncertainty put pressure on the shekel
ISRAEL · Report · 04 Nov 2026
The shekel has depreciated by approximately 4.5% against the U.S. dollar since Israel's elections, reflecting investors' concerns about political instability following the election results, as well as some disappointment relative to pre-election expectations. Bank of Israel data show that institu...
Weekly Report - November 2, 2026: Israel's election results complicate government formation; 2027 budget faces delays; growth outlook remains resilient; Bank of Israel likely to keep rates on hold
ISRAEL · Report · 02 Nov 2026
The election results left Netanyahu's bloc with 53 seats, the Zionist opposition with 48 and the Arab parties with 19, leaving neither bloc with a parliamentary majority. President Herzog is expected to begin consultations after the official results are published on November 5. Three main scenari...
Netanyahu's bloc leads the election results, but political deadlock remains
ISRAEL · In Brief · 29 Oct 2026
Election results According to the latest vote count in Israel's 2026 elections, Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats compared with 48 for the Zionist opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot and 19 for the Arab parties. The results are not yet final, as the double-envelope ballots, mainly from soldiers and oth...
Weekly Report - October 26, 2026: Israel heads to the polls; Bank of Israel signals a pause in rate cuts; economic growth remains strong but uneven
ISRAEL · Report · 26 Oct 2026
Israel heads to the October 27 elections amid uncertainty over the outcome and renewed threats of military escalation. The final polls give Netanyahu's bloc around 50 seats, compared with approximately 69 for the Zionist opposition and Arab parties combined. However, political deadlock remains a ...
Netanyahu warns of banking sanctions and proposes an unrealistic cryptocurrency solution
ISRAEL · In Brief · 26 Oct 2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned on Friday that Israel could face international economic sanctions, including restrictions on its banking system. In a bizarre statement during an interview with Israel's Economy Channel, Netanyahu suggested that cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology c...
Pre-election political update - October 23, 2026: Eisenkot gains momentum but remains short of 61 seats; markets expected to react modestly
ISRAEL · Report · 23 Oct 2026
The latest polls show growing momentum for Eisenkot's bloc, but neither Zionist bloc is projected to reach the 61 seats needed to form a government without including Arab parties in the coalition. Our analysis of previous elections suggests that pre-election polls have been relatively accurate in...
Weekly Report - October 19, 2026: Election polls point to a dead heat between the two blocs; inflation surprises to the downside; BoI expected to hold rates
ISRAEL · Report · 19 Oct 2026
With Israel's October 27 election just eight days away, polls continue to point to a political deadlock, with neither bloc securing a majority. Opposition parties are preparing to advance legislation through the Knesset after the vote, hoping to attract another party to a new coalition or trigger...
September inflation remained low, but the Bank of Israel is likely to keep rates unchanged through year-end
ISRAEL · In Brief · 16 Oct 2026
Israel's September CPI declined by 0.5% m/m, below market expectations of a 0.2%–0.4% decline and our forecast of a 0.4% decline. Annual inflation increased slightly from 1.5% in August to 1.6%, mainly due to base effects, while core inflation edged up from 1.3% to 1.4%. Despite these increases, ...