Current sectionIsrael NewsIsrael Elections 2026Haaretz visits the cities and towns that could play a pivotal role in deciding the election on October 27Share to FacebookShare to XArticle printing is available to subscribers onlyPrint in a simple, ad-free formatSubscribeComments: Zen reading is available to subscribers onlyAd-free and in a comfortable reading formatSubscribe11:04 AM • September 11 2026 IDTOn October 27, Israelis will head to the polls in an election that could reshape its future. The outcome could determine whether Israel remains a Jewish and democratic state, true to the spirit of its Declaration of Independence, or a Jewish state under autocratic rule.Ra'anana, IsraelWho are Naftali Bennett's neighbors voting for?Ra'anana, home to a large English-speaking community - and to Naftali Bennett - is widely hailed as a bastion of diverse Jewish religious communities. Will its moderate Orthodox residents choose allegiance to sectoral politics or liberal values?Read the full story here.Population: 85,000History: Founded in 1922 as an agricultural settlement by a group of American Jews from New YorkHow it votes: In the November 2022 election, the centrist Yesh Atid party was the top vote-getter, winning one-third of the ballots in this city, followed by Likud with 20 percent. The far-right Religious Zionism party won 10 percent of the vote.Why it's important: The upcoming election could hinge on the number of moderate Religious Zionist (Modern Orthodox) voters that defect to the opposition bloc. Ra'anana is home to many voters who fall into that category.In the NewsCountdown to Election Day: A Road Trip Through a Country Deciding Its FutureRabbi Indicted for Racist Incitement Over Claims Arab Doctors Harm IDF SoldiersEurope's Far Right Is on the Rise, So Why Is Israel's Stuck?'In Berlin, I Was a Specialist Doctor. In Israel, I Considered Waiting Tables'Report: Trump Declines Saudi Request for U.S. Strikes on HouthisRemembering and rebuilding two years laterICYMINetanyahu Got an Explicit Warning Before Oct. 7. He Didn't Brief Security ChiefsNetanyahu Was Warned About October 7. Will Haaretz's Exposé Change Anything?IMDb Replaces the Name Israel With 'The Occupied Palestinian Territories'Netanyahu Says He Will Sue Haaretz Following Oct. 7 Exposé'Baby, an Update: He's Just Died': Israeli Guards' Texts Reveal Abuse in PrisonU.K. Heralds New Reality That Won't End With Netanyahu