A record number of women are poised to enter the next Knesset

Based on a Times of Israel poll, up to 35 women could be elected to the 26th Knesset on October 27, a record for a new parliament. However, no major party is headed by a woman, and the gender gap between liberal and conservative blocs remains stark. The article examines structural changes in party slates, the rise of ultra-Orthodox female activism, and the potential impact of coalition composition on women's representation in government.

A Times of Israel analysis projects that a record 35 women could be elected to the 26th Knesset after the October 27 election, based on the outlet's own polling. This would surpass the 29 women elected in 2022 and the 33 who served by the end of that term. However, the article notes a regression in party leadership: no major party is headed by a woman, and MK Sharren Haskel's center-right faction is not expected to cross the electoral threshold. The gender gap between political blocs is pronounced. The centrist Yashar party, led by former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, has 10 women in its top 20 slots, while Likud has only 3. The ultra-Orthodox Shas and UTJ parties exclude women entirely. The article highlights a new development: ultra-Orthodox female activism. For the first time, a Haredi woman, Dr. Nechumi Yaffe, has been placed high on the slate of an ultra-Orthodox party, Hatzibur Haharedi, though it polls below the threshold. Grassroots activists have set up information stands in Bnei Brak and Jerusalem, questioning why no ultra-Orthodox women serve in the Knesset. The article also profiles Likud MK Tally Gotliv, a far-right figure who opposes gender quotas and has made controversial remarks about sexual assault complainants. The analysis concludes that the final coalition composition will directly impact women's representation in the executive branch: a right-wing coalition would yield just 7 women, while a centrist bloc could reach 24.