Netanyahu Faces Crucial Election Amidst Expat Vote Influence
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future is on the line as the nation heads to the polls in an election heavily influenced by an estimated 70,000 expatriate voters.
Israel is holding a pivotal election today, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a close contest against his main rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot. This election marks the first since the October 7 massacre, a date that has dominated the campaign and is widely viewed as a referendum on the security failures of that day.
The campaign has been marked by the visible reminders of the attacks, with fallen soldiers' faces appearing on stickers at train stations and ribbons honoring hostages. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has sought to deflect blame for the October 7 failures onto security officials while highlighting Israel's military operations against Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, and Iran.
In a recent development, former U.S. President Donald Trump publicly backed Netanyahu, urging Israelis to vote for him so they could "finish the job" in Iran. Trump praised Netanyahu as an "outstanding warrior prime minister" and asserted that the chants of "Death to America, death to Israel" would cease. Netanyahu has also made confronting Iran a central theme of his campaign, pledging to work with Trump to neutralize the Iranian nuclear threat.
However, Gadi Eisenkot has criticized Netanyahu, accusing him of exaggerating the Iranian threat for political gain and failing to achieve his stated war objectives.
An estimated 70,000 Israeli expatriates are returning to the country to cast their ballots, a significant bloc that could determine the election's outcome. Many of these expatriates are expected to support Eisenkot. One such voter, a businesswoman from North West London who previously lived in Israel for 11 years, expressed her determination for a leadership change. She stated that the election is "existential for the soul and future of Israel" and that she is voting for Eisenkot because she believes the country needs "clear, strong and ethical leadership." She also voiced concerns that if figures like Itamar Ben-Gvir and the far-right continue to hold power, Israel's values may diverge from her own.
Israeli law generally requires expatriates to return to Israel in person to vote, with limited exceptions. Organizations like the AID Coalition estimate that up to 67,000 Israelis are returning, with about half coming from the United States and the remainder from Europe, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. For many, the significance of this election outweighs the cost and effort of traveling to vote.
Current polling from Israeli broadcasters suggests that Eisenkot's Yashar party holds a slight lead over Netanyahu's Likud party. However, securing the most seats does not automatically guarantee victory, as the formation of a government will require complex coalition negotiations to achieve the support of at least 61 members in the 120-seat Knesset.