Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a battle to remain in power as Israelis vote in an election shaped by the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, subsequent wars in Gaza and with Iran, and growing international isolation. Yet Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader with 19 years in office, remains a formidable survivor, with nationalist politics increasingly entrenched and Israel's fragmented system potentially leaving him best placed to form a government.
Opinion polls show a close race between Netanyahu's Likud party and its right-wing allies and a rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff and security hawk with backers on the right and in the centre. Netanyahu is campaigning on his wartime leadership and his alliance with US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him and joined Israel in waging war on Iran.
The electoral landscape has shifted dramatically over the past two years, testing the resilience of the Israeli public and the political foundations laid by decades of conflict. Security remains the paramount issue for voters across the political spectrum, overshadowing domestic economic concerns and social policy debates.
Critics argue that Netanyahu's prolonged tenure has deepened societal divisions and strained key international alliances, particularly with European partners. Supporters, however, view him as the only leader capable of navigating the complex and hostile geopolitical environment confronting the nation today.
As polling stations close and ballot counting begins, the final outcome remains highly unpredictable due to the narrow margins projected in recent surveys. The formation of the next governing coalition will likely require extensive negotiations among smaller factions, potentially extending political uncertainty in the region.