Polling stations opened in Israel on Tuesday morning for a pivotal general election, with opinion polls indicating a tight race between incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.
This election marks the first time Israelis are voting since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on southern Israel and the subsequent war in Gaza. It also follows a joint U.S.-Israeli 12-day war on Iran in 2025 and an ongoing U.S.-Israeli campaign against Tehran launched in February.
Voting concludes at 10 p.m. local time, after which exit polls are expected to provide an initial indication of the results. Final results are anticipated by Wednesday afternoon, with coalition negotiations likely to begin immediately as the leading candidates seek alliances with smaller parties to secure a parliamentary majority. Israeli President Isaac Herzog will then task the leader he deems most capable of forming a government, typically the head of the largest party, with the responsibility of government formation. Netanyahu will serve as caretaker prime minister during these negotiations, which can extend for several weeks.
The election campaign has been largely defined by foreign policy and security concerns. Israeli forces remain engaged in conflicts on multiple fronts, including Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and the occupied West Bank, with no immediate end in sight.
Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the right-wing Likud party, is a prominent figure in Israeli politics and the country's longest-serving prime minister. He previously served as prime minister from 1996 to 1999 and again from 2009 to 2021, returning to office in 2022 despite facing charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
The October 7 Hamas attack, which resulted in approximately 1,200 Israeli deaths, and the subsequent Israeli military operation in Gaza, which has led to at least 74,555 Palestinian casualties according to the Hamas-run Health Ministry, have been central to Netanyahu's recent political tenure. The significant human cost and destruction in Gaza have drawn considerable international criticism.
Following the October 7 attacks, Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed militia, launched attacks into Israel from Lebanon. Netanyahu directed extensive Israeli military operations against the group, resulting in the death of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and significant bombardment of Beirut and southern Lebanon, followed by an Israeli ground operation in border areas. In Syria, Netanyahu also ordered Israeli military actions in the country's south. The June 2025 attack on Iranian military and nuclear facilities, later joined by U.S. forces, and the subsequent February joint U.S.-Israel campaign that targeted Iran's leadership, have further shaped the regional security landscape during Netanyahu's term.
Netanyahu has emphasized his security credentials throughout the campaign, referring to himself as "Mr. Security." He has also been critical of Arab-Israeli parties, which represent approximately 2.1 million Arab Israelis, often portraying them as national security threats. His campaign has frequently used the slogan, "The Right or Palestine."
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot and his allies have criticized Netanyahu for perceived failures in national security, including the inability to prevent the October 7 attack and achieve key war aims such as the dismantling of Hamas in Gaza and the defeat of Iran. Domestically, the election discourse has included debates over military exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community and concerns surrounding Netanyahu's ongoing legal challenges and the controversial judicial reforms enacted in 2023.
The aftermath of the October 7 attack has been a visible theme in the campaign, with some opposition figures and voters expressing anger over Netanyahu's refusal to establish a state commission of inquiry into the failures related to the attack.
Netanyahu's government, described by analysts as the most right-wing in Israel's history, has also faced international criticism for the situation in the occupied West Bank and its stance on the two-state solution. The period since 2023 has seen an expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank, which are considered illegal under international law, and the displacement of Palestinian communities. Far-right government ministers have advocated for more assertive measures against Palestinians.
Arab-Israeli leaders have encouraged high voter turnout, with figures like Member of Parliament Ahmad Tibi vowing to work towards removing the current government. Opposition figures have urged voters to deliver a decisive rebuke to Netanyahu, with Eisenkot asserting that Netanyahu would employ extreme measures to remain in power.
Despite differences, Eisenkot and the opposition bloc generally support continued military pressure on Iran and its allies. Eisenkot has also called for the elimination of Hamas and for an Israeli military presence in Gaza. He has expressed a more critical stance on settler violence in the West Bank compared to Netanyahu's government and has pledged to use the military to curb such violence.
Recent reports have suggested a growing rift between Netanyahu and IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, allegedly over Netanyahu's push to resume strikes on Iran before the election. Netanyahu has denied these reports.
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly endorsed Netanyahu, citing their past collaboration on operations against Iran and expressing a desire to "finish the job." Trump has indicated that a different Israeli leader might impede their joint efforts.
