---
title: "\"Elections in Israel are held during pauses between alerts\": Israel's Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine on the coalition crisis, bribery, and parallels with Kyiv"
description: "Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine Mila Tsur explained in an interview with RBC-Ukraine why Tel Aviv can hold elections under conflict conditions while Kyiv cannot yet, and stated that an operation against Iran depends on security rather than the coalition crisis."
date: 2026-10-30T10:54:45.309Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/israel-elections-coalition-interview-deputy-ambassador-mila-tsur
tags: [israel, elections, netanyahu, coalition, ukraine, iran, diplomacy, mila-tsur]
author: "Marina Slivenko"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# "Elections in Israel are held during pauses between alerts": Israel's Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine on the coalition crisis, bribery, and parallels with Kyiv

![Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against the background of the Israeli flag and military collages](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/30/izrail-vybory-koalitsiya-intervyu-zamposla-mila-tsur/izrail-vybory-koalitsiya-intervyu-zamposla-mila-tsur-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the Zionist opposition won a majority in the Knesset; a protracted coalition crisis lies ahead
- Israeli Deputy Ambassador Mila Tsur explained the difference with Ukraine: Israel has pauses in hostilities and most refugees have returned
- The investigation into foreign-funded bribery of Arab voters will not affect the outcome, according to the diplomat
- An operation against Iran depends on security, not election results, Tsur said
- Israel does not plan to mediate in peace negotiations regarding Ukraine

The results of the Israeli parliamentary elections held in October 2026 failed to give any of the major political blocs the opportunity to form a majority in the Knesset. Neither the bloc led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor the united Zionist opposition crossed the necessary vote threshold. Ahead lies a protracted coalition negotiation process, which, according to observers, could end either in the formation of a fragile government or the calling of early elections. Against this backdrop, in an interview with RBC-Ukraine, Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine Mila Tsur commented on the election results, regional security prospects, and the state of bilateral relations with Kyiv.

### Why Israel can hold elections while Ukraine cannot yet

In Ukrainian public discourse, Israel is often cited as an example of a state that, despite constant external threats and active hostilities, retains the ability to hold democratic procedures. Mila Tsur acknowledged that the parallel is understandable, but pointed to a key difference in conflict intensity. «In Israel, it is usually very high, but short-lived, followed by long periods of calmer times. Even now, we are formally in a certain state of war with Iran and others, but elections can be held normally because it is quiet right now. There are no daily alerts and sirens,» the diplomat explained. According to her, the situation in Ukraine is fundamentally different: the war is continuous, and the scale of the displaced population makes voting on the front line and in the occupied territories impossible. In Israel, by contrast, the majority of citizens who left their homes after October 7, 2023, have already returned to their communities; the exception is small border settlements whose residents are still displaced, though the election commission has provided them with a separate voting procedure.

### A coalition crisis without the threat of systemic instability

Responding to a question about the risks of a protracted period without a formed government, Tsur stressed that Israel has a stable mechanism for transferring power: until a new government is approved, the incumbent cabinet and acting prime minister continue to manage the country's daily affairs. «For Israel, such protracted coalition negotiations are nothing new, and we don't need to learn how to deal with them,» the deputy ambassador stated. She added that several consecutive electoral cycles are also nothing new for the Israeli political system, and ultimately this has previously led to the formation of a fairly stable government that served a full term. At the same time, the diplomat acknowledged that repeat elections carry economic costs — a day off is declared in Israel on voting day to encourage turnout — and expressed hope that the country will manage to avoid a new cycle.

### Voter bribery and the foreign factor

During the interview, the issue of investigating potential bribery of Arab voters with foreign money, involving Turkey and Qatar, was raised. According to Tsur, this investigation causes concern among the authorities, but in her assessment, it is not capable of affecting the final election outcome. The diplomat did not provide specific figures or details of the case, limiting herself to stating that the process is underway and does not change the overall voting picture.

### Operation against Iran: Security comes before the calendar

Answering a question about whether the election results and the coalition crisis period could affect the decision on a new military operation against Iran, Mila Tsur clearly separated these dimensions: «An operation against Iran depends on security, not on elections.» According to her, the weakening of the Iranian regime is objectively beneficial to Ukraine, since Tehran is one of the suppliers of technology and weapons to Russia. Thus, the diplomat linked regional security in the Middle East with Kyiv's interests, without delving into the details of possible scenarios.

### Relations with Ukraine: Partnership without mediation

The deputy ambassador noted that bilateral ties between Israel and Ukraine continue to strengthen: Tel Aviv provides assistance in shelter construction and energy infrastructure development. At the same time, answering a question about Israel's potential role as a mediator in peace talks, Tsur stated that Israel does not plan to take on such a function. In the context of discussing Volodymyr Zelenskyy's visit to Israel, the diplomat emphasized that high-level contacts continue, but the interaction format remains bilateral and does not imply assuming a mandate for overall conflict resolution.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Повлияют ли выборы в Израиле на начало новой войны с Ираном: блиц с зампосла Милой Цур](https://www.rbc.ua/ukr/news/chi-vibori-izrayili-vplinut-pochatok-novoyi-1793356701.html) - Primary source: interview with Israeli Deputy Ambassador to Ukraine Mila Tsur. Contains direct quotes across all thematic sections of the article. Election results (lack of a majority) are stated in the source lead.

## FAQ

### Why, according to the Israeli deputy ambassador, can Ukraine not hold elections yet while Israel can?

Mila Tsur explained this by the difference in conflict intensity: in Israel, periods of active hostilities are replaced by long pauses without daily alerts, and most displaced citizens have already returned home. In Ukraine, the war is continuous, the scale of displacement is much larger, and voting on the front line and in occupied territories is impossible.

### Will the voter bribery investigation affect the election results in Israel?

According to Mila Tsur's assessment, the investigation into possible bribery of Arab voters with foreign money causes concern among authorities, but will not affect the election results.

### Does the decision on an operation against Iran depend on the election results?

No, Tsur stated: an operation against Iran depends on security, not elections. She also noted that weakening Iran is beneficial to Ukraine due to Tehran's support for Russia.

### Will Israel become a mediator in peace negotiations on Ukraine?

No, Israel does not plan to take on the role of mediator in peace talks, the deputy ambassador stated. Meanwhile, bilateral relations are strengthening: Tel Aviv is helping Kyiv in the areas of shelters and energy.