Why did Israel end the direct election of its prime minister?

Israel ended the direct election of its prime minister in 2001 because the system, introduced by electoral reforms in 1992, had unintended negative consequences for the country's political stability.1

While the direct ballot was intended to enhance democratic participation, it ultimately increased the political power of smaller parties. This led to further fragmentation within the Knesset, which made it significantly more difficult for leaders to form and maintain stable governing coalitions. Additionally, the reform contributed to a decline in the parliamentary representation of Israel's two traditional major parties, Labour and Likud.1

Following the repeal of the direct election system in 2001, Israel returned to its earlier practice. Under this current system, the prime minister is not elected directly by the public but is instead the leader of the governing coalition who secures a vote of confidence from the Knesset.21