Partial results from Israel’s 2026 Knesset elections suggest a possible shift in the balance of power within the country’s Haredi political sector, with United Torah Judaism securing a significant lead over Shas in the popular vote.
According to interim figures based on more than 60% of the ballots counted, both parties are projected to win seven Knesset seats. However, United Torah Judaism has received 225,949 votes, compared with 207,694 for Shas, giving it a lead of 18,255 votes.
If the advantage holds once the count is complete, it would represent a symbolic and political shift between Israel’s two largest Haredi parties. Shas has maintained its position as the larger of the two in recent election campaigns.
Despite the difference in the number of votes, the parties remain tied at seven seats each in the current partial allocation. The final results could still change as the counting process continues.
One possible explanation for United Torah Judaism’s performance is higher voter turnout in its traditional Ashkenazi and Hasidic strongholds.
Hundreds of thousands of votes have yet to be counted, including double envelopes submitted by soldiers, diplomats, hospitalized patients, and other eligible voters whose ballots are processed separately.
These outstanding votes could affect both the final distribution of Knesset seats and the gap between the two parties. Until the count is completed, it remains too early to determine whether United Torah Judaism will definitively overtake Shas in the final results.