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Israeli Communist Party (Hadash)

The Joint List
Leader
Yousef Jabareen
List
The Joint List
Researched as of
October 7, 2026

Running on a joint list with Arab Movement for Renewal (Ta'al) and National Democratic Assembly (Balad) as The Joint List.

Overview

What the party is. Hadash (חד"ש) is the Hebrew acronym of the Democratic Front for Peace and Equality. It was founded in 1977 by Rakah, the Communist Party of Israel, together with other groups including members of the Black Panthers protest movement, to run in the elections for the Ninth Knesset [16, 17]. The Israeli Communist Party (Maki) is still its main component [17]. On the 2026 candidate filing of the Central Elections Committee (CEC), Hadash's candidates appear under the registered party name "the Israeli Communist Party" (המפלגה הקומוניסטית הישראלית) [1]. Hadash describes itself as a Jewish-Arab movement, although most of its voters and representatives are Arab citizens [16, 17].

Ideology. The Israel Democracy Institute (IDI), a non-partisan research body, places Hadash on the far left of Israeli politics, with a communist orientation [16]. It was one of the first parties to support two states as a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict [16]. Its core positions, as summarised by IDI, are an Israeli withdrawal from all territories taken in 1967 (including the Golan Heights), a just solution for Palestinian refugees, equality between Arab and Jewish citizens, and social justice and socialism [16, 17]. The party's website lists eight principles: a just, comprehensive and stable Israeli-Palestinian and Israeli-Arab peace; defending workers' rights; equality for the Arab population in Israel; ending ethnic discrimination between Jewish communities and defending residents of poor neighbourhoods and development towns; defending democratic freedoms; equal rights for women; protecting the environment; and banning weapons of mass destruction [23].

Base of support. Since 2015 Hadash has mostly run as part of a joint list with other Arab-led parties [17]. Arab voters make up most of its support [16, 17]. IDI notes that over its history the party has usually won between 3 and 5 seats [17].

Current seats. In the November 2022 election Hadash ran together with Ta'al (the Arab Movement for Renewal, led by Ahmad Tibi) as "Hadash-Ta'al", which won 5 seats with 3.8% of the vote [18]. Knesset records list the faction's original members as Ayman Odeh, Aida Touma-Sliman, Ofer Cassif and Youssef Atauna of Hadash and Ahmad Tibi of Ta'al [19, 20]. On 20 June 2025, under a rotation agreement between the two parties, Hadash's Atauna left the Knesset and was replaced by Ta'al's Samir Bin Said [19, 21]. On 15 July 2026 Kan's Arabic service reported that Bin Said had announced he was leaving Ta'al and joining Hadash; Knesset records still list him as a member of the joint Hadash-Ta'al faction [107, 19]. Hadash therefore holds 3 of the faction's 5 seats in the outgoing 25th Knesset through MKs elected as its candidates (Odeh, Touma-Sliman and Cassif), and a fourth MK, Bin Said, has said he has joined it [19, 20, 21, 107].

The 2026 list: a joint list. Hadash is running in the 27 October 2026 election on the Joint List (הרשימה המשותפת), ballot letters ודם, together with Ta'al and Balad (the National Democratic Assembly) [1, 5]. The CEC filing shows the list was submitted by all three parties [1]. The fourth Arab-led party, Ra'am, is running separately [5, 7].

History of the joint list and its splits.

  • The Joint List was first formed in 2015 by Hadash, Ta'al, Balad and Ra'am [17, 18].
  • Before the April 2019 election the alliance split into two lists, Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am-Balad; Hadash-Ta'al won 6 seats that April [18]. The four parties announced in June 2019 that they would run together again, finalised the agreement at the end of July 2019, and ran together in September 2019 and 2020 [18, 108, 109].
  • On 28 January 2021 a Knesset committee approved the break-up of the Joint List faction after talks with Ra'am failed; Ra'am ran on its own in March 2021 [43].
  • On 15 September 2022, shortly before the list-submission deadline, the three-party agreement collapsed: Hadash and Ta'al filed a list without Balad, and Balad ran alone [39, 40]. Reports at the time gave two points of dispute: the rotation of the sixth place on the list, and Balad's demand that the list commit not to recommend any candidate for prime minister to the President, while Hadash wanted to keep that option [39, 40]. Hadash and Ta'al ran as Hadash-Ta'al in 2022 [18].
  • On 22 January 2026 the leaders of all four Arab-led parties, including Hadash's Ayman Odeh, signed a commitment in Sakhnin to work towards reviving the Joint List [6].
  • On 10 June 2026 Hadash announced it would go ahead with Ta'al and Balad without Ra'am, after talks with Ra'am broke down; Ra'am had sought a purely technical alliance that could break up in the Knesset after the election [7, 8]. On 3 August 2026 Jabareen said there were no ongoing negotiations with Ra'am [4].
  • On 19 August 2026 Hadash, Ta'al and Balad announced an agreement to run together [5, 33].

Polling

Polling average: 5.8% (as of October 2, 2026). Source: Mean of 5 polls published 2026-09-28 to 2026-10-02

Polls included in the average
  • Lazar Research (led by Dr. Menachem Lazar) · Maariv · 2026-09-30–10-01 · 602 respondents · margin of error ±4.0% · published Oct 2, 2026
  • Next Data · Channel 14 (Arutz Achshav 14) · 2026-10-01 · 2145 respondents · margin of error ±2.1% · published Oct 1, 2026
  • Direct Polls (led by Tzuriel Sharon) · i24NEWS (Middle East News 24 Ltd.) · 2026-10-01 · 504 respondents · margin of error ±4.3% · published Oct 1, 2026
  • Maagar Mochot (led by Prof. Yitzhak Katz) · Channel 16 · 2026-09-29 · 550 respondents · margin of error ±4.2% · published Sep 29, 2026
  • Next Data · Channel 14 (Arutz Achshav 14) · 2026-09-28 · 573 respondents · margin of error ±4.1% · published Sep 28, 2026

Leadership and key candidates

Party leader: Yousef Jabareen. On 16 May 2026 Hadash's party council elected Dr. Yousef Jabareen as chair and first candidate, with about 82% of the vote, replacing Ayman Odeh, who is retiring from politics [2, 3, 24]. Jabareen, born in 1972, is from Umm al-Fahm [24]. He is a lawyer and constitutional-law scholar with degrees from the Hebrew University, American University and Georgetown University [24]. He worked as a legal director at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, taught at several universities and headed the Dirasat Arab Center for Law and Policy in Nazareth [24]. He was a Knesset member for the Joint List from 2015 to 2021, where he chaired the Special Committee for the Rights of the Child [3, 11, 24]. On being elected he said the party's task was to bring down the current government and to rebuild the Joint List to raise turnout [2].

Top of the Joint List (as of 6 October 2026). The CEC filing published on 9 September 2026 lists the first places as: 1. Yousef Jabareen (Hadash), 2. Ahmad Tibi (Ta'al), 3. Sami Abu Shehadeh (Balad), 4. Faten Ghattas (Hadash), 5. Bakr Awawdeh (Balad), 6. Ofer Cassif (Hadash), 7. Youssef Atauna (Hadash) [1]. Abu Shehadeh withdrew his candidacy on 2 October 2026 during the Supreme Court hearing on his disqualification, so the candidates below him move up one place [12, 14]. Hadash's candidates near the top are therefore:

  • Yousef Jabareen (No. 1): see above.
  • Dr. Faten Ghattas (now No. 3): from Rameh in the Galilee; she holds a doctorate in political science and directs the Israel Cancer Association's activities in Arab society [10, 110]. Hadash's council chose her in September 2026 to replace Jafar Farah [10].
  • Ofer Cassif (now No. 5): a Jewish member of Hadash, born in 1964, who has been a Knesset member since 30 April 2019 [25, 99]. He holds a PhD [25]. During the First Intifada (1987) he refused military service in the territories and was imprisoned [25].
  • Youssef Atauna (now No. 6): a former Hadash Knesset member from the Bedouin community in the Negev [2, 19, 21].
  • Dr. Nahaya Wishahi (No. 10 on the filed list, now No. 9): a lecturer in education, filed on behalf of Hadash [1, 110].

Candidate changes. Hadash's council originally placed Jafar Farah, director of the Mossawa Center for Arab citizens' rights, second on its own slate [3]. He withdrew his candidacy on 4 September 2026 [9], and Hadash's council then chose Faten Ghattas in his place [10]. MK Aida Touma-Sliman, a senior Hadash lawmaker, did not seek re-election [3]. Under the agreement between the three parties, the sixth and ninth places on the list are to rotate, and Ta'al received a deputy Knesset speaker post [5].

Positions on the issues

Cost of living

Formal commitment (Joint List, 2026): The Joint List's ten-point economic and social plan, published on the list's website, calls for raising the minimum wage to at least 70% of the average wage, a full cost-of-living wage adjustment, rent capped at 20% of a household's net income, free education from birth to university, raising the basic allowance to 25% of the average wage, cutting VAT to 10%, exempting people who earn up to the average wage from income tax, raising tax on financial gains to 30%, ending tax benefits for large companies, cancelling privatisation programmes and deep cuts in military spending [111].

Dated background (2013 platform): The most recent full platform of Hadash's own that was found is the one for the January 2013 election, published on the party website and archived by IDI [22]. It calls for a minimum wage of 60% of the average wage, a 40% increase in child allowances, linking all National Insurance benefits to the average wage, extending state price supervision from 20 to 50 basic products and services, a tax on incomes above NIS 1 million a year, an inheritance tax on estates above NIS 3 million, doubling the royalties paid by gas companies, and reversing past privatisations of state companies, banks and public services [22]. It also calls for free education from daycare to university [22]. Its 2026 website still lists "defending workers' rights" among its core principles [23].

Action: On 8 June 2022 a Joint List bill to raise the minimum wage to NIS 40 an hour (from about NIS 29) passed a preliminary reading 23–4, with Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voting for it; the party reported that the coalition of the time opposed it [82, 105]. In the 25th Knesset, all four Hadash MKs (Touma-Sliman, Atauna, Cassif and Odeh) were among the initiators, with MKs Yinon Azoulay and Naama Lazimi, of a bill to set up a National Authority for Fighting Poverty [83, 102]. Hadash MKs voted for it at its preliminary stage in February 2023 [84]; it passed its third reading on 31 March 2025, with Cassif and Touma-Sliman voting for it, and became law (National Authority for Fighting Poverty Law, 5785-2025) [101, 103]. In January 2025 Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am brought a no-confidence motion against the government over its handling of the cost of living, and Hadash MKs voted for it [81, 96]. Hadash's MKs voted against the state budgets for 2025 (25 March 2025 (the Knesset record files the vote under the sitting of 24 March), passed 66–52; Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman against) and 2026 (30 March 2026, passed 62–55; Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman against) [114, 115].

Closest option(s): Higher wages and benefits for low-income households (direct-support-for-households), combined with state intervention such as rent control and higher taxes on large companies and financial gains (active-state-regulation). This rests on the Joint List's 2026 plan and on Hadash's votes and bills since 2022; the 2013 platform is dated background that points the same way.

Crime in Arab society

Statement: Hadash opposes using the Shin Bet (Israel's internal security service) against crime in Arab communities. In October 2021, when the government of the time announced it would involve the Shin Bet, Ayman Odeh said: "I do not want the Shin Bet for the Arabs and the police for the Jews. We are not a security issue but a civilian one." [66] In January and February 2026 Odeh blamed Prime Minister Netanyahu and National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir for the record number of murders in 2025, said he had "zero trust" in the police, and said that dealing with crime organisations and illegal weapons is the state's responsibility [67, 68]. He called for escalating civil protest, including strikes and a boycott of shopping [67, 68]. In June 2026 Jabareen said the government "bears responsibility for the blood" and had abandoned Arab society to organised crime [69]. Jabareen has named action against organised crime and larger budgets for Arab society and local councils among the Joint List's main demands [31].

Statement: In December 2025 MK Aida Touma-Sliman called a proposal by Social Equality Minister May Golan to move NIS 3.1 billion from the economic and social development plan for Arab communities to the police, the Shin Bet and other bodies "brazen theft" [70].

Formal commitment (Joint List, 2026): The Joint List's "plan to eradicate organised crime", published on its website, says crime cannot be fought "while weakening democracy" or the independence of the courts. It proposes a new development plan for Arab society, support for victims of crime, stronger police investigation units, a dedicated organised-crime unit in the State Attorney's office, a national authority to coordinate the police, tax and anti-money-laundering bodies, wider confiscation of criminal assets, and action against illegal weapons and protection rackets [112]. The plan does not mention the Shin Bet [112].

Action: Hadash MKs voted against bills that would give the state wider powers against crime organisations: Ayman Odeh and Youssef Atauna voted against a bill to expand the measures for fighting crime organisations in February 2024 [71, 96], and Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted against the Special Powers to Combat Crime Organisations (Temporary Provisions) bill, which as tabled would allow a crime organisation to be declared a terror organisation and which passed its preliminary reading 54–41 on 10 December 2025 [72, 96].

Closest option(s): Investing in Arab communities and their councils, with the state rather than the Shin Bet responsible for enforcement (invest-in-arab-communities-first). The Joint List's 2026 plan also calls for stronger police investigation units and prosecution under ordinary law, which overlaps with more-police-resources-normal-law.

Gaza Strip policy

Statement: Throughout the war Hadash called for an end to the fighting and a deal to bring back the hostages. At a protest in June 2025 Odeh said: "We must reach a comprehensive deal. We must bring back all the hostages. We must end the war on Gaza." [59] In January 2025 Hadash MKs Aida Touma-Sliman and Ofer Cassif rejected the idea, raised by US President Donald Trump, of moving Gaza's residents to other countries, saying Palestinians should stay and rebuild [58]. When the ceasefire and hostage release took effect in October 2025, Odeh welcomed the release of the hostages, said his "joy is mixed with pain" and called for ending what he called the occupation [57]. During President Trump's speech in the Knesset on 13 October 2025, Odeh and Cassif shouted at Trump, held up signs reading "Recognize Palestine" and were removed from the chamber [56, 57].

Statement (Joint List, 2026): According to a 7 October 2026 review of party positions by Zo Haderech, the weekly of the Israeli Communist Party (Hadash's main component), the Joint List demands an immediate and complete halt to military operations in Gaza, the withdrawal of all troops and the lifting of the blockade, and rejects Israeli control, applying sovereignty or renewed settlement there [113].

Action: On 28 October 2024 Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted against the two laws ending UNRWA's operations in Israel and Israel's ties with the agency, which passed 92–10 and 87–9 [116, 117].

Dated background (2013 platform): Hadash's 2013 platform calls for Israel to end its control over the Gaza Strip, hand control of Gaza's crossings to the Palestinian Authority, allow Gaza to build air and sea ports, and establish a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, the Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem [22]. Statement: In September 2026 Jabareen said the Joint List would push for renewed negotiations with the Palestinian leadership on a Palestinian state alongside Israel [31].

Closest option(s): Ending the war, withdrawing the army and handing Gaza to a Palestinian government as a step towards a Palestinian state (end-war-full-withdrawal). No statement on the specific stages of the US plan (an international force, disarming Hamas) was found.

Haredi military enlistment

Action: Hadash MKs voted against the government's legislation on the military service of yeshiva students at both stages checked. In June 2024 Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted against carrying the bill over from the previous Knesset [74, 95]. On 14 July 2026 Odeh and Cassif voted against the law that passed, the Security Service Law (Amendment No. 28 – temporary provision) [75, 95]. According to the Knesset's bill record, that law temporarily freezes arrests and enforcement against yeshiva students who do not report for service, until 30 November 2026, if they meet set hours of Torah study [76]. The High Court of Justice froze the law the next day and struck it down on 3 September 2026 [134].

Statement: Odeh explained in December 2025 that Hadash would oppose the bill as part of its effort to bring down the government: "Anything that helps bring down the government — Hadash–Ta'al will support." He said there was no scenario in which the faction would support it, abstain or be absent [73]. In that statement he did not set out a position on Haredi conscription itself [73].

Dated background (2013 platform): The 2013 platform calls for recognising the right to refuse, for reasons of conscience, to serve in the territories or in the IDF at all, and for removing militaristic programmes from schools [22].

Statement: In April 2026 the Communist Party of Israel, Hadash's main component, criticised a Reservists Party campaign ("the public who served will decide") as an attempt to tie the right to vote and run for the Knesset to military service, aimed at Arab and Haredi citizens [77].

Closest option(s): Tentative: no one is forced to serve and rights do not depend on service (voluntary-service-for-all). The mapping is tentative because it rests on indirect evidence: the April 2026 statement by Hadash's main component rejecting any link between voting rights and military service [77]. No Hadash statement on whether Haredi yeshiva students should be required to serve was found, and its votes against the government's laws do not show a position, because Odeh said they were cast to bring down the government [73]. The 2013 platform's support for a right of conscientious objection is dated background; it does not call for ending compulsory service [22].

Housing

Formal commitment (Joint List, 2026): The Joint List's economic and social plan calls for public housing, for rent or purchase, for everyone without a home, rent capped at 20% of a household's net income, restoring the Public Housing Law, large-scale building of homes for rent or discounted sale by government companies, a state mortgage bank and interest-free mortgages for young people and first-time buyers [111].

Dated background (2013 platform): The 2013 platform sets out a "social housing" plan: the state would build 30,000 apartments over three years and 5,000 a year after that; pension funds would be required to invest in a government housing fund; a share of apartments in new projects would go to public housing; existing public housing would be renovated; neighbourhoods would be planned with many small apartments for young people; and planning, land allocation and investment in Arab towns would be expanded [22]. It also calls for recognising the Bedouin villages in the Negev that the state does not recognise, and stopping home demolitions until proper zoning plans exist [22].

Action: In March 2023 Youssef Atauna voted for a bill to limit rent increases, which was defeated [85, 96]. In November 2025 Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted for a public-housing bill on tenants' rights to buy their homes [86, 96]. In August 2026 the Joint List raised housing and land shortages, home demolitions and the non-recognition of Bedouin villages with EU ambassadors [65].

Closest option(s): The state building affordable and public housing and regulating the rental market (state-led-affordable-rental).

Iran, Hezbollah and the region

Statement: Hadash opposed the 2026 war with Iran (Operation Roaring Lion). On 1 March 2026 Ofer Cassif wrote "No to war" and said the operation was driven by foreign powers rather than the interests of Israelis or Iranians [60]. In March 2026 he warned that the war could become a "forever war" [61]. When a US-Iran ceasefire was announced in April 2026, Odeh said there is no stability in the region without Israeli-Palestinian peace [62]. In a statement on 8 June 2026 titled "No to Netanyahu's eternal war", Hadash called for an immediate halt to the escalation and for "a peaceful agreement that ensures security for all peoples in the region" [64]. On 15 June 2026 Hadash welcomed the US-Iran agreement to end the war; Odeh said, "agreements save lives. The more agreements there are, the fewer unnecessary wars" [63]. In August 2026 the Joint List called for ending Israel's hold on Syrian and Lebanese territory as well as Palestinian territory [65].

Dated background (2013 platform): The 2013 platform calls for peace with Lebanon and Syria based on the pre-1967 lines, returning the Golan Heights to Syria, and withdrawing from Lebanese land Israel still holds; one of the party's eight principles is banning weapons of mass destruction [22, 23].

Closest option(s): Ending military operations and seeking regional peace through diplomacy (end-military-operations-regional-peace). No specific Hadash statement on Hezbollah's disarmament was found.

Judea and Samaria

Statement (Joint List, 2026): According to Zo Haderech's 7 October 2026 review, the Joint List supports an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel on the 4 June 1967 lines (the pre-1967 border) with East Jerusalem as its capital, the removal of checkpoints and the evacuation of all settlements and outposts in Judea and Samaria [113].

Dated background (2013 platform): The 2013 platform calls for evacuating all settlements and an Israeli withdrawal from all of Judea and Samaria and East Jerusalem; a Palestinian state in Judea and Samaria, Gaza and East Jerusalem, with the 4 June 1967 lines as the border; West Jerusalem as Israel's capital and East Jerusalem as Palestine's; and a just solution for Palestinian refugees in line with UN resolutions [22]. The platform explicitly rejects plans that leave most settlers in place [22].

Action: Hadash MKs voted against every bill to apply Israeli sovereignty that was checked: Odeh, Cassif and Atauna against a Jordan Valley bill in January 2025 [52, 95]; Odeh and Cassif against the Knesset motion supporting sovereignty in Judea, Samaria and the Jordan Valley in July 2025 [54, 97]; and Touma-Sliman against the bill to apply sovereignty to Judea and Samaria that passed a preliminary reading in October 2025 [53, 95]. On 18 July 2024 Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted against a Knesset resolution opposing the creation of a Palestinian state, which passed 68–9, and on 30 October 2024 they voted for a proposed Basic Law to recognise a Palestinian state, which was defeated 9–47 [118, 119]. In September 2025 Odeh announced a bill for Israel to recognise a Palestinian state [55].

Statement: Jabareen said in September 2026 that the Joint List would push for negotiations towards a Palestinian state alongside Israel [31]. At its campaign launch on 5 October 2026 the Joint List called for "peace between Israel, Palestine" [32].

Closest option(s): Two states on the pre-1967 lines, with all settlements evacuated and East Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital (two-states-pre-1967-border). This rests on the Joint List's 2026 position as reported by the party's weekly and on Hadash's votes since 2024; the 2013 platform is dated background that says the same.

Judicial system

Action: Hadash MKs voted against the government's changes to the judicial system at every stage that was checked. Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted against the bill limiting the "reasonableness" test (July 2023) [46, 95]. Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted against the 2025 law changing how judges are chosen [45, 98]. Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted against the July 2026 law on the attorney general's legal opinions and representation of the government [47, 95].

Statement: Cassif called the March 2025 law on appointing the judges' complaints commissioner "a fascist coup in full force" and said "a judiciary dependent on politicians can never be independent" [48]. When Hadash-Ta'al met President Herzog on 29 March 2023 during talks on the judicial changes, it rejected a return to the previous situation and said that democracy means "social justice for all and equal national and civil rights" [49].

Dated background (2013 platform): The 2013 platform calls for a democratic constitution protecting basic rights, social rights, the secular character of the state and equality between citizens [22].

Closest option(s): Reversing the changes and protecting the independence of the courts and the attorney general (repeal-changes-protect-independence). Hadash also wants a constitution with stronger equality rights, which goes beyond restoring the system as it was.

October 7 inquiry

Action: On 17 July 2024 Odeh, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted for two bills to set up a state commission of inquiry into October 7, each defeated 51–53 [120]. On 19 March 2025 all four Hadash MKs voted for a bill requiring a state commission of inquiry after certain events, defeated 39–51 [121]. On 1 July 2026 Hadash MKs voted for two further state-commission bills, each defeated 47–53 (Odeh and Touma-Sliman for one; Cassif and Touma-Sliman for the other) [122, 123]. In November 2025 Odeh and Touma-Sliman voted for a private bill by MK Meir Cohen to set up a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7, which was defeated [50, 96, 106]. In December 2025 Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted against the coalition's bill for a commission of inquiry into October 7 whose members would be chosen through the Knesset [51, 96].

Closest option(s): A state commission whose members are picked by the President of the Supreme Court under the existing law (state-commission-under-existing-law). No detailed Hadash statement on the commission's make-up was found; this rests on the votes.

Religion and state

Dated background (2013 platform): The 2013 platform calls for separating religion and state, repealing all laws that impose religious practice, introducing civil marriage and divorce, and recognising other family forms, including single-parent, same-sex and mixed families [22]. It also calls for a constitution that protects the secular character of the state [22].

Action: In June 2023 Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted for a civil marriage and divorce bill [79, 96]. In November 2025 Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted for a bill to run public transport on Shabbat [80, 96]. On 24 December 2025 Cassif voted for a civil marriage bill, which was defeated 36–47; no other Hadash MK is recorded as voting [124]. On Basic Law: Torah Study, no Hadash-Ta'al MK is recorded as voting at the preliminary reading on 10 June 2026, which passed 56–43 [125]. The Times of Israel, citing Hebrew media reports, wrote that MKs of Hadash-Ta'al and Ra'am stayed away under an arrangement with the Haredi factions over a bill restricting mosque loudspeakers; Walla reported that those involved denied any such understanding [126, 127]. Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted against the law at its first reading on 1 July 2026 (passed 63–53) and at its final reading on 13 July 2026 (passed 63–52) [128, 78, 95].

Contradiction: The 2013 platform, still the latest full platform the party publishes, calls for civil marriage and divorce [22], but Hadash MK Youssef Atauna, who is No. 6 on the 2026 list, voted against the June 2023 civil marriage bill, while his Hadash colleagues Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted for it [79]. No statement by the party or by Atauna explaining the vote was found.

Closest option(s): Separating religion and state, with civil marriage and divorce for everyone (separate-religion-and-state). This rests on Hadash MKs' votes since 2023 for civil marriage and Shabbat public transport; the 2013 platform is dated background. The party's MKs did not all vote the same way on the 2023 civil marriage bill.

Other notable positions

Equality for Arab citizens

Dated background (2013; formal commitment): Hadash's 2013 platform calls for recognising Arab citizens as a national minority with equal national and civil rights, equal employment and pay, industrial zones in Arab towns, and opening state bodies and government companies to Arab graduates [22]. "Equality for the Arab population in Israel" is one of its eight principles [23]. Action: On 18 December 2024 Odeh, Cassif, Atauna and Touma-Sliman voted for a bill to repeal Basic Law: Israel – the Nation State of the Jewish People, which was defeated 13–49 [129]. Statement: Jabareen lists equality for Arab citizens and larger budgets for Arab local authorities among the Joint List's main demands [31]. In August 2026 the Joint List raised budget gaps in education and social services with EU ambassadors [65].

Palestinian statehood and recognition

Statement: In September 2025, after the UK, Canada and Australia recognised a Palestinian state, Odeh announced a bill for Israel to recognise one, saying the Palestinian people "deserve the right to self-determination" [55]. Touma-Sliman called the international recognitions "an important step, but it is not enough", and called for economic measures and an arms embargo on Israel [55]. Hadash leaders took part in the People's Peace Conference in Tel Aviv in April 2026; Odeh said "for peace, we must have Jewish-Arab partnership" [94].

Bedouin communities in the Negev

Dated background (2013; formal commitment): The 2013 platform calls for recognising the unrecognised Bedouin villages in the Negev and the Galilee, cancelling the Prawer plan to move their residents, and avoiding forced evictions [22]. Statement: In November 2024 Hadash MK Youssef Atauna, himself from the Negev, condemned the demolition of the unrecognised village of Umm al-Hiran, where the community of Dror is planned, calling it the "racist, fascist face" of the government [87].

Death penalty for terrorists

Action: Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted against the Death Penalty for Terrorists law, which passed its final reading on 30 March 2026 [89, 95]. Touma-Sliman, Odeh and Ta'al's Tibi were among the original petitioners to the Supreme Court against the law, and Cassif asked to join the petition in June 2026 [88].

Workers, poverty and welfare

Dated background (2013; formal commitment): Beyond the cost-of-living measures above, the 2013 platform calls for a 35-hour working week without a pay cut, unemployment benefits from the first day for 12 months, ending employment through manpower and contractor companies, more labour inspectors, and a Basic Law on social rights [22]. Action: The National Authority for Fighting Poverty Law, initiated by Hadash's MKs with MKs from other parties, passed in March 2025 (see Cost of living) [101, 102, 103].

Women's rights and LGBT rights

Dated background (2013; formal commitment): The 2013 platform calls for a Basic Law on equality between the sexes based on the UN convention on discrimination against women, and for recognising same-sex families [22]. Equal rights for women in all areas is one of Hadash's eight principles [23]. Dated background (2020; statement): In July 2020 Touma-Sliman said "LGBT rights are human rights" when backing a Nazareth company that had donated to an LGBT rights group [90]. Action: On 14 January 2026 Cassif voted for two bills to ban "conversion therapy" for minors, which were defeated 36–59 and 37–58; no other Hadash MK elected on its slate is recorded as voting, and Samir Bin Said, then a Ta'al MK, voted against [130]. In May 2026 Hadash's own slate was criticised for placing only men in its top three places; the party said the criticism was legitimate and pledged to keep promoting women's representation [2].

Civil liberties and civil society

Dated background (2013; formal commitment): The 2013 platform calls for protecting freedom of expression, the press, association and political activity, ending the state of emergency and the emergency defence regulations, and a law banning torture [22]. Action: Touma-Sliman and Atauna voted against a bill on donations from foreign state bodies to non-profit organisations in February 2025 [91, 95].

Environment and weapons of mass destruction

Dated background (2013; formal commitment): Protecting the environment and banning weapons of mass destruction are two of the party's eight principles [23]. The 2013 platform calls for a national plan to protect open spaces with environmental, cultural and landscape value [22]. No recent detailed environmental programme was found.

Coalition stance

Statements in this campaign.

  • 6 January 2026: Odeh called on all Arab parties to unite and said "We must do everything, absolutely everything, to remove Netanyahu" [35].
  • 16 May 2026: on his election, Jabareen said the goal was to bring down what he called the far-right government [2].
  • 25 May 2026: Jabareen said that running separately would mean lower turnout and "the continuation of the far-right rule" [34].
  • 19–20 August 2026: on signing the joint run, Jabareen said the list would work to ensure that "the Netanyahu, Ben Gvir, Smotrich government does not return to power" [33].
  • 1–3 September 2026: Jabareen said the Joint List's demands for supporting any alternative government are progress towards a Palestinian state, equality for Arab citizens, action against organised crime and bigger budgets for Arab society; the list has not committed to a particular Jewish-led coalition [31].
  • 5 October 2026: at the campaign launch Jabareen called on Jewish and Arab voters to support the list to replace the government [32].

Joining a government. In August 2025 Touma-Sliman said that joining a coalition was a question for after the election [36]. A December 2025 report described Hadash as generally opposed to joining Israeli coalitions; Odeh criticised Ra'am's approach and said that the question of Israel's definition as a Jewish state is "an existential matter for us, the Arabs" [37]. Hadash has never been a member of a governing coalition (see Track record). In April 2026 Cassif criticised Naftali Bennett's statement that his coalition would not include Arab parties, and called for a "Jewish-Arab partnership" instead [38].

Track record on such pledges. Hadash's past behaviour matches its stated goal of replacing Netanyahu without formally joining a government:

  • After the September 2019 and March 2020 elections the Joint List, including Hadash, recommended Benny Gantz to form a government; in September 2019 Balad's members did not join the recommendation [41, 42].
  • In June 2021 Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted against the Bennett-Lapid government in the Knesset's confidence vote [44, 95].
  • In 2022 Hadash, unlike Balad, wanted to keep the option of recommending a prime ministerial candidate; this was one cause of the Balad split [39, 40].
  • In the 25th Knesset Hadash backed bills to dissolve the Knesset; on 20 May 2026 a dissolution bill sponsored by Odeh was defeated, and Odeh, Cassif and Touma-Sliman voted for the dissolution bill sponsored by MK Ofir Katz, which passed its preliminary reading 110–0 the same day [92, 93, 104].

Track record

Hadash has never been part of an Israeli government. It has spent its whole history in opposition [16, 17]. Its record is therefore one of opposition votes, bills and protest:

  • Against the government's main legislation in the 25th Knesset: the judicial changes [45, 46, 47], the bills to apply Israeli sovereignty in Judea and Samaria [52, 53, 54], the death penalty law [89], the yeshiva-students enforcement law [75] and the Basic Law: Torah Study at its first and final readings [78, 128].
  • For other MKs' initiatives: a state commission of inquiry into October 7 [50], no-confidence motions over the cost of living [81], public transport on Shabbat [80] and civil marriage (with one Hadash MK voting against) [79].
  • Own initiatives: the National Authority for Fighting Poverty Law, initiated by Hadash's four MKs together with MKs from other parties, which passed its third reading on 31 March 2025 [101, 102, 103]; the Joint List's minimum wage bill, which passed a preliminary reading in June 2022 [82]; Odeh's bill to recognise a Palestinian state, announced in September 2025 [55]; and Odeh's bill to dissolve the Knesset, defeated in May 2026 [92, 93].
  • Protest outside the Knesset: Hadash leaders led and joined strikes and demonstrations over crime in Arab towns in 2026 [67, 68, 69] and anti-war protests in 2025 [59].

Because Hadash has not governed, its promises cannot be compared with delivery in government. The poverty authority law is the main item in the sources found where a Hadash-initiated bill became law in the 25th Knesset [101, 102].

Legal or ethical matters involving leaders

No indictments or convictions involving Yousef Jabareen or Faten Ghattas were found. Ofer Cassif (now No. 5 on the list) was convicted of a criminal offence on 8 October 2026; the conviction and the other official proceedings found are listed below.

  • Ofer Cassif – conviction (2026). On 29 February 2024, after a hearing, the attorney general decided to put Cassif on trial, and the Jerusalem District Attorney's Office indicted him in the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court on assaulting police officers in aggravated circumstances. The indictment concerns a confrontation with a Border Police officer on 13 May 2022 at a protest in the southern Hebron Hills (Masafer Yatta), after police refused to let him drive his car into the protest area [131]. On 8 October 2026 the Jerusalem Magistrate's Court convicted him of assaulting a police officer in aggravated circumstances [132]. Cassif denies assaulting the officer and called the proceedings a political settling of accounts; the Joint List said it expects the conviction to be overturned on appeal [133]. Status: convicted at first instance and not yet sentenced. The Times of Israel reported on the day of the conviction that a sentencing hearing is scheduled for January 2027 and that Cassif's lawyer said he may appeal [136]. As of 12 October 2026 no sentence had been given and no report that an appeal had been filed was found.

  • Ofer Cassif – Knesset expulsion motion (2024). In January 2024, after Cassif announced support for South Africa's case against Israel at the International Court of Justice, MK Oded Forer began a process to end his Knesset membership under a Basic Law clause on supporting armed struggle against Israel; 90 votes were needed [28]. On 19 February 2024 the plenum vote on the Knesset Committee's proposal received 85 votes in favour, short of the 90 required, and the motion failed; Hadash's MKs voted against [28, 29]. Cassif remains a Knesset member.

  • Ofer Cassif – Ethics Committee suspensions. On 11 November 2024 the Knesset Ethics Committee unanimously suspended Cassif from the plenum and committees for six months (he could still vote) and docked two weeks' pay, over statements about the Gaza war, his support for the ICJ case and other remarks [26]. On 9 July 2025 the committee suspended him again from 19 October to 19 December 2025 and docked two weeks' pay, citing a "systematic and consistent pattern" of accusing IDF soldiers of war crimes [27]. Cassif called the first decision political persecution and rejected the second as political censorship [26, 27]. Both suspensions have ended.

  • Ofer Cassif – candidacy (2019 and 2026). In March 2019 the CEC disqualified Cassif, and the Supreme Court overturned the decision [26, 30]. On 23 September 2026 the CEC again voted 19–5 to bar him, on a Likud petition, while the attorney general opposed disqualification [13]. On 2 October 2026 the Supreme Court overturned the ban by 7–2 (Justices David Mintz and Alex Stein dissenting), ruling that the evidence did not meet the strict legal tests [14]. Status: he is a candidate.

  • The Joint List – candidacy (2026). On 23 September 2026 the CEC voted 18–5, with one abstention, to accept a Likud request to disqualify the Joint List [100]; the Joint List called the disqualification requests a political move by a government it said was losing [15]. On 2 October 2026 the Supreme Court unanimously overturned the disqualification [14]. The list is running.

  • The party's accounts: State Comptroller report (February 2025). In his report on Knesset factions' current accounts for 1 December 2022 – 31 December 2023, the State Comptroller wrote that Hadash had filed its financial report and accounts about four months after the deadline. In July 2024, at his notice, the Knesset Speaker ordered that the faction's current state funding not be paid until the accounts were filed, and after they were filed the Comptroller recommended withholding NIS 179,652, which is 10% of the unpaid amount. Because of the delay, the audit results for Hadash were not included in that report and are to be published separately [135]. Status: a finding about the party's accounts, not about an individual; the separate audit report on Hadash was not found.

Checked: Knesset plenum records, reporting on the CEC and Supreme Court, reports on the Knesset Ethics Committee, the State Comptroller report above, and Hebrew news searches on 12 October 2026 for court rulings involving the candidates named above. No State Comptroller finding naming these leaders personally was found. Proceedings about people who are not on the 2026 list, such as former chair Ayman Odeh, are not listed.

Sources

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  79. Knesset plenum vote 39317: Marriage and Divorce Bill, preliminary reading (7 June 2023), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2039317&$top=200
  80. Knesset plenum vote 44754: Public Transport on Shabbat Bill, preliminary reading (19 November 2025), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2044754&$top=200
  81. Knesset plenum vote 42805: no-confidence motion by Ra'am and Hadash-Ta'al on the cost of living (20 January 2025), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2042805&$top=200
  82. Another Parliamentary Rebellion, Joint List's Minimum Wage Bill Passes 23-4. Communist Party of Israel (Maki), 2022-06-10. https://maki.org.il/en/?p=30369
  83. Knesset Advance Law to Establish National Authority for Eradication of Poverty. Communist Party of Israel (Maki), 2025-03-22. https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32547
  84. Knesset plenum vote 38305: National Authority for Fighting Poverty Bill, preliminary reading (22 February 2023), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2038305&$top=200
  85. Knesset plenum vote 38371: Rental and Borrowing Bill (limit on rent increases), preliminary reading (6 March 2023), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2038371&$top=200
  86. Knesset plenum vote 44792: Public Housing (Purchase Rights) Bill (26 November 2025), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2044792&$top=200
  87. Arab-Bedouin Village in Negev Razed to Make Way for New Jewish Community. Communist Party of Israel (Maki), 2024-11-15. https://maki.org.il/en/?p=32247
  88. Arab lawmakers seek to join High Court petition against death penalty law. The Jerusalem Post, 2026-06-03. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-898269
  89. Knesset plenum vote 45858: Death Penalty for Terrorists Bill, third reading (30 March 2026), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2045858&$top=200
  90. Hadash MK Aida Touma-Sliman: 'LGBT Rights are Human Rights'. Communist Party of Israel (Maki), 2020-07-11. https://maki.org.il/en/?p=23809
  91. Knesset plenum vote 43093: Non-Profit Organisations Bill (donations from a foreign state entity), preliminary reading (19 February 2025), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2043093&$top=200
  92. The Bill to Dissolve the Knesset Passed Its Preliminary Reading; MK Odeh: 'The Evil Govt is Ending its Path'. Communist Party of Israel (Maki), 2026-05-20. https://maki.org.il/en/?p=33475
  93. Knesset plenum vote 45973: Odeh's bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset (20 May 2026), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2045973&$top=200
  94. Thousands Participated in the People's Peace Conference in Tel Aviv. Communist Party of Israel (Maki), 2026-05-01. https://maki.org.il/en/?p=33428
  95. Knesset open data: plenum vote headers (titles, dates and stages) for the votes cited above. Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVote?$filter=Id%20in%20(43093,38305,35004,40436,46670,41074,46248,45858,42820,44580,46462,39566)
  96. Knesset open data: plenum vote headers (second set). Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVote?$filter=Id%20in%20(40370,44855,44946,44669,45973,42805,39317,44754,38371,44792)
  97. Knesset open data: plenum vote header 44413 (sovereignty motion, 23 July 2025). Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVote(44413)
  98. Knesset open data: plenum vote header 43643 (Basic Law: The Judiciary, Amendment No. 4, 27 March 2025). Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVote(43643)
  99. Knesset open data: Knesset positions of Ofer Cassif (PersonID 30719). Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/Odata/ParliamentInfo.svc/KNS_PersonToPosition()?$filter=PersonID%20eq%2030719&$format=json
  100. דרמה בוועדת הבחירות: אחרי רע"מ, גם המשותפת נפסלה (Drama at the Elections Committee: after Ra'am, the Joint List is also disqualified). Srugim, 2026-09-23. https://www.srugim.co.il/101011778-%D7%93%D7%A8%D7%9E%D7%94-%D7%91%D7%95%D7%95%D7%A2%D7%93%D7%AA-%D7%94%D7%91%D7%97%D7%99%D7%A8%D7%95%D7%AA-%D7%90%D7%97%D7%A8%D7%99-%D7%A8%D7%A2%D7%9D-%D7%92%D7%9D-%D7%94%D7%9E%D7%A9%D7%95%D7%AA%D7%A4%D7%AA
  101. Knesset bill record 2195679: National Authority for Fighting Poverty Law, 5785-2025 (status: passed third reading; published 3 April 2025). Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_Bill(2195679)
  102. Knesset open data: initiators of bill 2195679 (National Authority for Fighting Poverty). Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_BillInitiator?$filter=BillID%20eq%202195679
  103. Knesset plenum vote 43921: National Authority for Fighting Poverty Bill, final vote (31 March 2025), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2043921
  104. Knesset plenum vote 45972: MK Ofir Katz's bill to dissolve the 25th Knesset (20 May 2026), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2045972
  105. Knesset plenum vote 37281: Minimum Wage (Amendment – Raising the Minimum Wage) Bill, preliminary reading (8 June 2022), member results. Knesset open data, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_PlenumVoteResult?$filter=VoteID%20eq%2037281
  106. Knesset open data: initiators of bill 2235553 (State Commission of Inquiry into the Events of 7 October bill, 2025). Knesset, accessed 2026-10-07. https://knesset.gov.il/OdataV4/ParliamentInfo/KNS_BillInitiator?$filter=BillID%20eq%202235553
  107. سمير بن سعيد يسحب استقالته وينضم إلى الجبهة. Makan (Kan Arabic), 2026-07-15. https://www.makan.org.il/content/news/makan-news/p-11711/1076998/
  108. Four Israeli Arab parties reunite for upcoming elections. The Times of Israel, 2019-06-20. https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-arab-parties-reunite-for-upcoming-elections/
  109. Israel's four main Arab political parties, after split, will again run as a bloc. Jewish Telegraphic Agency, 2019-07-29. https://www.jta.org/quick-reads/israels-four-main-arab-political-parties-recreate-joint-list
  110. המועמדים (candidates page). The Joint List (official website), accessed 2026-10-12. https://jointlist.org.il/he/candidates/
  111. התוכנית הכלכלית-חברתית (economic and social plan). The Joint List (official website), accessed 2026-10-12. https://jointlist.org.il/he/economic-plan/
  112. התכנית למיגור הפשיעה המאורגנת (plan to eradicate organised crime). The Joint List (official website), accessed 2026-10-12. https://jointlist.org.il/he/crime-plan/
  113. עשרים יום לבחירות לאחר שלוש שנות מלחמה: המפלגות והסיכוי לשלום באזור. Zo Haderech (Israeli Communist Party weekly), 2026-10-07. https://zoha.org.il/148519/
  114. Plenum vote 43638: State Budget Law for 2025, third reading (66 for, 52 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2025-03-24 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/43638
  115. Plenum vote 45675: State Budget Law for 2026, third reading (62 for, 55 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2026-03-30 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/45675
  116. Plenum vote 41904: Law to End UNRWA Operations in the Territory of the State of Israel, third reading (92 for, 10 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2024-10-28 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/41904
  117. Plenum vote 41919: Law to End UNRWA Operations, third reading (87 for, 9 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2024-10-28 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/41919
  118. Plenum vote 41304: summary resolution on recognition of a Palestinian state (68 for, 9 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2024-07-18 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/41304
  119. Plenum vote 41954: proposed Basic Law: Recognition of a Palestinian State (9 for, 47 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2024-10-30 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/41954
  120. Plenum vote 41283: bill to set up a state commission of inquiry into October 7 and the war, preliminary reading (51 for, 53 against); the parallel bill, vote 41284, had the same result (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2024-07-17 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/41283
  121. Plenum vote 43382: Commissions of Inquiry (events requiring a state commission of inquiry) Bill, preliminary reading (39 for, 51 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2025-03-19 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/43382
  122. Plenum vote 46366: bill to set up a state commission of inquiry into the events of October 7, preliminary reading (47 for, 53 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2026-07-01 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/46366
  123. Plenum vote 46368: bill to set up a state commission of inquiry into the failures of October 7, preliminary reading (47 for, 53 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2026-07-01 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/46368
  124. Plenum vote 44959: Civil Marriage Bill, preliminary reading (36 for, 47 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2025-12-24 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/44959
  125. Plenum vote 46121: Basic Law: Torah Study, preliminary reading (56 for, 43 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2026-06-10 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/46121
  126. Knesset advances Basic Law bill enshrining Torah study despite coalition revolt. The Times of Israel, 2026-06-10. https://www.timesofisrael.com/knesset-advances-basic-law-bill-enshrining-torah-study-despite-coalition-revolt/
  127. טענות לשיתוף פעולה בהצבעות בין משה גפני לאחמד טיבי. Walla, 2026-06-10. https://www.walla.co.il/news/politics/3844742
  128. Plenum vote 46181: Basic Law: Torah Study, first reading (63 for, 53 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2026-07-01 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/46181
  129. Plenum vote 42379: bill to repeal Basic Law: Israel – the Nation State of the Jewish People, preliminary reading (13 for, 49 against) (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2024-12-18 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/42379
  130. Plenum vote 45062: bill banning conversion therapy for minors, preliminary reading (36 for, 59 against); the parallel bill, vote 45064, was defeated 37–58 (per-MK results). Knesset vote-details service (official record), 2026-01-14 (accessed 2026-10-12). https://www.knesset.gov.il/WebSiteApi/knessetapi/Votes/GetVoteDetails/45062
  131. "חלאת המין האנושי, אפס מאופס": ח"כ עופר כסיף מואשם בתקיפת שוטרים. Ynet, 2024-02-29. https://www.ynet.co.il/news/article/hjxczy02a
  132. בית המשפט הרשיע את חבר הכנסת עופר כסיף. Srugim, 2026-10-08. https://www.srugim.co.il/101012918-בית-המשפט-הרשיע-את-חבר-הכנסת-עופר-כסיף
  133. "נמשיך להיאבק בכיבוש", ח"כ כסיף הורשע בתקיפת שוטר בעת מחאה במסאפר יטא. Zo Haderech (Israeli Communist Party weekly), 2026-10-08. https://zoha.org.il/148526/
  134. High Court strikes down law shielding haredi yeshiva students from arrest over draft evasion. The Jerusalem Post, 3 September 2026. https://jpost.com/israel-news/politics-and-diplomacy/article-907553
  135. דוח על תוצאות ביקורת החשבונות השוטפים של הסיעות בכנסת העשרים וחמש לתקופה שבין 1.12.22 ל-31.12.23. State Comptroller of Israel, 2025-02. https://library.mevaker.gov.il/sites/DigitalLibrary/Documents/2025/2025-Knesset-25.docx
  136. Hadash MK Cassif convicted of assaulting police officer during 2022 West Bank clash. The Times of Israel, 2026-10-08. https://www.timesofisrael.com/hadash-mk-cassif-convicted-of-assaulting-police-officer-during-2022-west-bank-clash/

Information availability

Enough public information exists. Hadash has sat in the Knesset continuously since 1977 and has a detailed voting record in the 25th Knesset, which is available through the Knesset's open data. Its main component, the Communist Party of Israel, publishes regular English reports of the party's statements. Main gaps:

  • No 2026 platform was found. The most recent full Hadash platform that could be opened is from the 2013 election; the party website lists only its eight core principles. The Joint List has published an economic and social plan and a plan against organised crime on its website, but no full joint platform was found [111, 112]. Claims based on the 2013 platform are given as dated background, not as a 2026 programme.
  • New leader. Yousef Jabareen became chair in May 2026 and has been out of the Knesset since 2021, so most recent statements and votes come from Ayman Odeh, Ofer Cassif and Aida Touma-Sliman, two of whom are not running.
  • Haredi enlistment and the October 7 commission's make-up rest on votes rather than direct statements.
  • Many recent statements come from the Communist Party of Israel's own website (a party-affiliated source); where possible they were matched with independent news reports.