Israel Voted: Rotten Compromises

Every path to Israel’s next government requires a deal someone swore they’d never make. Which compromises are worth it?

With final results in, Donniel Hartman and Yossi Klein Halevi read the numbers (27 seats for Likud, 67 against Netanyahu) and examine every way forward: a unity government, a minority government backed by Haredi or Arab parties, or new elections.

They debate the political culture Netanyahu leaves behind, what a fair deal with the ultra-Orthodox would demand, and whether asking Arab partners for new declarations is legitimate or humiliating.

Through their analysis, they explore whether embracing imperfect, painful compromises can prevent national disintegration and preserve the democratic future of the Jewish people in an era of acute vulnerability.

From the show:

Donniel Hartman, “Dayenu: The lesson of this election,” Times of Israel, November 1, 2026

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