Israelis vote to decide Netanyahu's fate after three years of war
Polls show a tight race between the prime minister and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, with Arab parties potentially holding the balance of power.
By Olivia Miller ·
Israeli voters faced a close contest on Tuesday as they decided whether to keep Benjamin Netanyahu in power after three years of war. Opinion polls indicated a narrow margin between Netanyahu and his primary rival, Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief. The election marks the first national vote since the October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the conflict in Gaza and regional fighting.
No single party in Israel has ever secured an outright majority in the 120-seat Knesset, forcing leaders to build coalitions. In this fragmented system, the outcome depends heavily on whether nonaligned Arab parties push for high turnout. If neither Netanyahu's religious and ultranationalist bloc nor the opposition group gains enough seats, weeks of negotiations could follow before a government is formed.
Arab-led parties may emerge as kingmakers if they choose to back one candidate over the other. Tensions were already high at polling stations in Kiryat Shmona, a Netanyahu stronghold near the Lebanese border. In one instance, a man kicked and tore down a poster of Eisenkot before the polls closed.
The campaign was overshadowed by lingering friction with Iran. Netanyahu intensified threats against Tehran ahead of the vote. In a video released this week, he stood beside a missile-defense battery and warned that Iran would face a devastating blow if it attacked Israel. The statement came as the country remains embroiled in unresolved wars and deeply divided over its future direction.
In Tel Aviv, families of individuals killed on October 7 and former hostages held a moment of silence before voting began. Yona Adam, whose daughter Mapal Adam was killed in the attack, urged voters to remember those whose voices are gone. The gathering served as a somber reminder of the human cost of the conflict that has defined Netanyahu's latest term.
The election serves as a referendum on the type of state Israel should be. It pits a vision of a country heavily influenced by religious and nationalist forces against one more firmly anchored in liberal and secular values. Netanyahu's supporters view him as a steady hand who has guided Israel through multiple wars. They believe he is protecting Jewish identity while keeping an interventionist judiciary in check.
Detractors argue that Netanyahu is a polarizing leader who extended the war in Gaza for political reasons while facing his own corruption trial. They accuse him of undermining the independent judiciary and weakening democratic institutions. Critics also say he has abetted a system that allows ultra-Orthodox religious Jews to avoid compulsory military service, a point of significant contention in the campaign.
Eisenkot is viewed by his backers as a capable leader with strong security credentials. His personal loss in the war, including his son and two nephews killed in Gaza, resonates with many voters. Parties likely to support Eisenkot have vowed to improve Israel's international standing. They also plan to work on conscripting ultra-Orthodox men and bolstering the independence of the judiciary to restore confidence in the state's democratic underpinnings.
