Israel votes in first election since October 7 attack as Netanyahu faces crucial test
Summary
Israelis are voting in the country’s first election since Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack. The closely contested race pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against centrist challenger Gadi Eisenkot, with security, accountability and Israel’s political direction central to the campaign.Key Facts
- The election is taking place after three years of regional wars that followed the October 7 attack.
- The latest published polls showed Netanyahu and Eisenkot running neck and neck.
- About 7.3 million people are eligible to vote, including more than half a million first-time young voters.
- Netanyahu has served as prime minister for more than 19 years across multiple terms.
- Netanyahu campaigned on his security record and his relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump.
- Netanyahu’s coalition includes far-right nationalist parties whose influence has grown.
- Opposition parties criticize Netanyahu’s support for exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox religious students, as the military faces personnel shortages.
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