Netanyahu Has Reinvented Himself. Will Voters Think It’s Enough?
Israelis are heading to the polls in a deeply divided general election that serves as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The vote marks the first electoral test since the October 7, 2023, attacks and three years of ongoing conflict. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tight race against opposition parties loosely led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Final polls indicate that both political blocs fall short of a majority, leaving small parties out of the Knesset as thousands of expatriates fly back to cast ballots.
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- ✓ Israel is holding its first election since the October 7, 2023, attacks.
- ✓ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces opposition parties loosely led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
- ✓ Final polls show both political blocs falling short of a majority and small parties out of the Knesset.
What changed
Israel has officially opened polls for a tight national election pitting Benjamin Netanyahu against Gadi Eisenkot.
Live updates
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Israel Votes in High-Stakes Election
Israelis are heading to the polls in a deeply divided general election that serves as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The vote marks the first electoral test since the October 7, 2023, attacks and three years of ongoing conflict. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a tight race against opposition parties loosely led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Final polls indicate that both political blocs fall short of a majority, leaving small parties out of the Knesset as thousands of expatriates fly back to cast ballots.
Why it matters
The election stands as a crucial test for Benjamin Netanyahu, whose image as a security leader was severely damaged by the October 7 attacks. He is attempting to reinvent himself politically and sell voters on a hawkish version of his leadership as the country grapples with unfinished wars and profound national trauma. The outcome will determine the future political direction of Israel and test whether voters believe his transformation is enough to keep him in power.
What is confirmed
- Israel is holding its first election since the October 7, 2023, attacks.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces opposition parties loosely led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.
- Final polls show both political blocs falling short of a majority and small parties out of the Knesset.
Still unconfirmed
- Likud surged in the final polling ahead of the vote.
What to watch next
- Official election results and vote tallies
- Potential coalition-building negotiations among parties
confidence 95%Sources used for this update (16)
- www.nytimes.com — The New York Times - Breaking News, US News, World News and Videos
- The Economist — A deeply divided Israel prepares to vote
- The Washington Post — Opinion | Why I’m flying 6,000 miles to vote against Netanyahu
- The Times of Israel — Final polls before election show both blocs short of majority, small parties out of Knesset
- The New York Times — Netanyahu Has Reinvented Himself. Will Voters Think It’s Enough?
- The New Yorker — Thousands of Israelis Are Flying Back to Vote
- France 24 — ‘I killed lots of terrorists, but it didn’t make me feel better’: The trauma haunting Israel's elections
- Yahoo — Israeli Expats Return for High-Stakes Netanyahu Vote
- Israel National News — Final poll: Eisenkot leads, Likud surges
- The Guardian — As a divided Israel prepares to go to the polls, can Netanyahu pull off his greatest political trick yet?
- www.nytimes.com — Live Updates: Israel Votes in Election Seen as Referendum on Netanyahu
- www.cnn.com — Netanyahu fights for his political survival as pivotal Israeli election kicks off
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