Elections cannot produce change in Israel

What the report says

Al Jazeera published an opinion piece by Palestinian-Canadian lawyer and analyst Diana Buttu on Oct. 25, 2026, arguing that Israel’s parliamentary election, set for Oct. 27, is unlikely to bring meaningful policy change for Palestinians. The article says the contest is being framed as a choice between blocs led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his opponents, but that both sides broadly support continued control over Palestinians and do not back the creation of a Palestinian state.

Buttu writes that foreign diplomats often treat Netanyahu as the main obstacle to progress on issues such as a two-state solution and Gaza reconstruction. She argues that this misses the deeper problem: Israeli politics and society, in her view, have normalized policies that include occupation, settlement expansion, collective punishment and attacks on Palestinians. She points to campaign rhetoric and imagery from multiple candidates, saying the differences between the blocs are mainly about tactics and details rather than overall direction.

The piece also suggests that any real change would have to come through outside pressure, not internal politics. Buttu says international actors should move beyond silence and accommodation and consider measures such as sanctions to create consequences for Israeli conduct. The article is presented by Al Jazeera as commentary, not as a news report, and reflects the author’s own views.