How Benjamin Netanyahu reshaped Israel’s institutions

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Israel Votes in Polarizing Election Led by Netanyahu

   Israel heads to the polls on October 27 in a high-stakes parliamentary election as the country's longest-serving and most polarizing prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, seeks re-election. Voters are deeply divided over Netanyahu's leadership and moral character, while thousands of Israelis have flown back to vote and others have protested against the government, demanding an independent inquiry into the security failures of October 7, 2023. Although polls favor his opponents, Israel's fractured politics mean the real contest will unfold as parties attempt to build a governing coalition.

   Why it matters

   Netanyahu first served from 1996 to 1999 and returned in 2009, systematically reshaping Israel's political and legal frameworks during his tenure to consolidate power. Despite divisions over his leadership, Israelis largely support settlement expansion and oppose a Palestinian state, meaning core policies toward Palestinians will likely endure regardless of the election outcome.

   What is confirmed

   • Israel heads to the polls on October 27 in a parliamentary election.
   • Benjamin Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving and most polarizing prime minister.
   • Thousands of Israelis are protesting against the government and calling for an independent inquiry into the security failures of October 7, 2023.
   • Israelis are deeply divided over Netanyahu's leadership and moral character.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Polls favor Netanyahu's opponents in the parliamentary election.

   What to watch next

   • The results of the October 27 parliamentary vote
   • Efforts by political parties to build a governing coalition following the election
   Sources used for this update (14)

   1. help.naver.com — Futures Flat As Oil Rebounds After Trump's "Energy Ceasefire" Unravels, Memory Stocks Slide | ZeroHedge
   2. The Economist — A deeply divided Israel prepares to vote
   3. Al Jazeera — How Benjamin Netanyahu reshaped Israel’s institutions
   4. The New Yorker — Thousands of Israelis Are Flying Back to Vote
   5. The New York Times — Opinion | What the Israeli Election Won’t Change
   6. France 24 — ‘I killed lots of terrorists, but it didn’t make me feel better’: The trauma haunting Israel's elections
   7. www.aljazeera.com — How Benjamin Netanyahu reshaped Israel’s institutions
   8. www.pbs.org — Whatever the outcome of Israel's election, Netanyahu's policies toward Palestinians will likely endure
   9. jamaicainquirer.com — Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu gov’t days before election - Jamaica Inquirer – Daily Jamaica News
   10. www.jpost.com — A partnership guided by God: Why Trump decided to endorse Netanyahu in Israel's elections - opinion
   11. www.foreignaffairs.com — The Israel Netanyahu Made | Foreign Affairs
   12. barbadosgazette.com — How Benjamin Netanyahu reshaped Israel’s institutions | Barbados Gazette – Barbados & Caribbean News
   confidence 95%