July 21, 2026
Introduction
Invoking the memory of Jewish infighting as a critical factor in the destruction of the Jewish Temples in 586 B.C.E. and 70 C.E., Israeli President Isaac Herzog — on the eve of Tisha B’Av, the day in the Jewish calendar that marks those tragic events — cautioned Israelis about contemporary political rupture. Polling noted national cohesion splintering as rhetoric heated up ahead of the parliamentary election October 27, 2026.
Herzog urged citizens to vote, listen, speak responsibly and resist disinformation, especially from social media. He cited internal and external threats to election integrity and backed security and law enforcement agencies.
His central message was stark: Elections are not civil war; Israelis must disagree without becoming enemies. He framed elections as both democracy’s peak and a test of social cohesion.
Herzog’s last significant speech expressing fear of Israeli society fracturing came in March 2023; the controversy then was the government’s intent to wrest power and prerogative from the court system, an issue still generating societal rancor.
— Ken Stein, July 23, 2026
My sisters and brothers, citizens of Israel. Tomorrow evening, the fast of Tisha B’Av [the 9th of Av] begins.
On this day, both Holy Temples of the Jewish people were destroyed. For 2,000 years, this day has reminded us of the price of polarization, division and hatred among us. This year that message carries even greater weight as we enter the period of elections.
Elections are a test of Israeli democracy, and they are also a test of the unity and cohesion of Israeli society. Elections are the pinnacle of a democracy. This is the opportunity for each and every one of us to influence the country’s future and the fateful issues before it.
I call on all citizens of Israel to take an active part in these elections: to listen, to make your voice heard, to show respect and to vote.
I call on all of us to exercise caution as well. About two weeks ago, I hosted in my office the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Deputy President of the Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, and the head of the Israel Security Agency [Shin Bet], David Zini. They presented me with various threats to the integrity of the elections, both internal and external. We presented a unified front on this issue, and we committed to supporting and backing the Central Elections Committee and all our security and law enforcement bodies.
I call on all of the law enforcement authorities to stand firmly and effectively against these threats. In the age of social media, the dangers are great. All of us must be thoughtful, careful and responsible in the content we consume, and all the more so in the content we broadcast.
It is no secret that we are living through a period of disagreements. In recent days we have once again seen dangerous violence rearing its head across the country.
I turn to elected representatives, activists and all candidates from all parties and demand that you do not cross red lines. Do not turn rivals into enemies. I remind all leaders of the rabbinic saying “Sages, be careful with your words.”
I call on the people of Israel, in a clear voice: Remember that elections are not a civil war. Disagreement and criticism are the lifeblood of our democracy, but our belonging to this place and our responsibility for our shared future here — for our children, for our grandchildren — come before all else and are the highest priority.
After every election, a new government is formed that replaces the one before it. The elections themselves do not replace the people. On the day after the election, all of us will remain here — Israelis of every background and every point of view. We must not wait for tragedies, God forbid, to remind us that we live here together as one people.
My sisters and brothers, on the eve of the fast of the 9th of Av, I pray that we all merit to see the consolation of Zion and Jerusalem. To that end, let us remember the historical lesson: Baseless hatred destroyed our home.
Twice in the history of our people, we merited independent sovereignty in our land. Twice we failed. We must not repeat the mistakes of the past. We have a historic responsibility to the generations who came before us and to generations to come. I say it again: Elections are not a civil war. We will get through these elections together as one people. Respect, influence and vote.
