Israel Shifts to Winter Time October 25, Adjusting Clocks Back One Hour

Israel will transition to winter time on the night of October 24-25, 2026, when clocks will be moved back one hour. This change marks the end of daylight saving time, which began on March 27, 2026. According to Israel's "Time Determination Law," daylight saving time runs from the Friday before the last Sunday in March until the last Sunday in October.

With the switch to winter time, Israel will revert to UTC+2 from UTC+3, meaning the time difference with Coordinated Universal Time will decrease by one hour. Specifically, at 2:00 AM on October 25, clocks will be set back to 1:00 AM, effectively causing the hour between 1:00 AM and 2:00 AM to occur twice. The article also notes that some European countries, such as Tbilisi, Georgia, have opted out of the biannual time change and maintain a constant time year-round.

The rationale behind daylight saving time is to shift daylight hours from the morning to the afternoon and evening, aiming for better utilization of daylight. However, the public and scientific communities have debated the actual benefits of these time changes over the years. For those who manually adjust their clocks, the rule is to set the time back from 2:00 AM to 1:00 AM. For smartphones, the update is typically automatic, but users can ensure it by checking their date and time settings.