What’s not on the ballot in Israel: Peace

Live updates

1. 1h ago

   Israel Votes in General Election Amid Gaza War

   Israeli voters head to the polls on Tuesday in a general election defined by the ongoing Gaza conflict, regional security, and coalition politics. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces intense scrutiny over the deadly Hamas attack and his government's handling of the war, while contenders like Eisenkot step into the race. Despite fierce public debates over recent military actions and domestic challenges including economic schisms, critical conversations regarding peace with Palestinians remain absent from the ballot choices as major parties maintain hardline foreign policy stances.

   Why it matters

   The election takes place against a backdrop of deep national division and international focus on Israel's military engagements in Gaza and regional tensions involving Iran. Tens of thousands of expatriate Israelis have flown back from abroad to participate in the vote, targeting disaffected supporters and seeking to influence the political future. Meanwhile, Palestinians express fear of worsening conditions as Gaza's suffering becomes campaign fodder.

   What is confirmed

   • Israeli voters head to the polls to cast their votes in a general election on Tuesday.
   • Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government faces criticism for the deadly Hamas attack.
   • Contenders like Eisenkot are stepping up in the elections.
   • Peace talks with Palestinians remain off the ballot as the main parties maintain hardline foreign policies.

   Still unconfirmed

   • Tens of thousands of Israelis living abroad are expected to fly in for the vote.
   • Disenchanted Netanyahu supporters represent a primary prize of the election campaign.

   What to watch next

   • Final election results and vote tallies from Tuesday's polling
   • The composition of any newly formed governing coalition and its stance on foreign policy
   Sources used for this update (18)

   1. www.yahoo.com — Yahoo
   2. WSJ — The Voters Who Could Decide Israel’s Election and Rewrite Its Future
   3. The Washington Post — Opinion | Why I’m flying 6,000 miles to vote against Netanyahu
   4. The New York Times — Netanyahu Has Reinvented Himself. Will Voters Think It’s Enough?
   5. The New Yorker — Thousands of Israelis Are Flying Back to Vote
   6. The New York Times — Opinion | What the Israeli Election Won’t Change
   7. The Guardian — As a divided Israel prepares to go to the polls, can Netanyahu pull off his greatest political trick yet?
   8. politico.eu — What’s not on the ballot in Israel: Peace
   9. The Guardian — ‘Gaza’s suffering has become campaign fodder’: Palestinians fear the worst from Israel election
   10. Reuters — Disenchanted Netanyahu supporters are prize of Israel election campaign
   11. The Jerusalem Post — Arab Israeli voters can help bring political change to Israel
   12. Bloomberg.com — Israel Election 2026: War-Focused Campaign Masks Underlying Economic Schism
   confidence 90%