Israelis Face Tense Vote Over Netanyahu
Election polling shows a narrow race defined by a split between supporters and opponents of the long-serving prime minister rather than traditional ideological lines.
By Tyler Khalil ·
Israeli voters head to the polls on Tuesday in a contest that has evolved into a direct referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu. The race is less about left-right ideology and more about a division between those who support the prime minister and those who oppose him. Current polls indicate the two camps are running extremely close, setting the stage for a potential stalemate in the 120-seat Knesset.
The leading opposition challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces who entered politics only four years ago. Eisenkot, the son of working-class Moroccan Jews, represents the Yashar party, which translates to straight or direct. At a recent rally in Modi'in, his plain speaking style resonated with attendees who are weary of political rhetoric. Noa Sadeh, a 56-year-old supporter, expressed a desire for a leader who focuses on action rather than eloquent speech.
The opposition bloc is a diverse coalition that includes former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman. Both are figures from the nationalist right who previously collaborated with Netanyahu before their alliances fractured. On the far right, Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit party is also framing its campaign around the incumbent. Yishai Fleisher, a party representative in Bet Shemesh, argued that Netanyahu has drifted left and needs to be pulled rightward. He proposed expanding settlements in the West Bank and Gaza, creating a ministry to encourage voluntary Palestinian departure, and implementing the death penalty.
Netanyahu has dominated the narrative by using rhyming slogans that pit the right against Palestine. His posters place opposition leaders alongside the heads of parties representing Palestinian citizens, who constitute about one-fifth of the population. The closing weeks of the campaign have focused on whether the anti-Netanyahu Jewish parties, who are forecast to outpoll his bloc but lack a majority, will rely on Arab parties to form a government. Pro-Netanyahu media, particularly Channel 14, have kept his opponents on the defensive, though one notable exception occurred when a Channel 14 host used a slur to describe Eisenkot. Eisenkot did not repeat the slur at his rally, a move that divided opinion between those who saw it as restraint and those who saw it as a lack of aggressive counterattack.
Observers find the close polling puzzling given the recent history under Netanyahu's leadership. The deadliest attack in Israel's history occurred on October 7, 2023, while he was in power. His subsequent war in Gaza resulted in the deaths of more than 70,000 Palestinians, with Israel stating a third were Hamas combatants, yet the group was not eradicated. The prime minister also faces criticism over the failure to destroy Iran's nuclear threat, the fallout from his attempt to curb the supreme court, and an ongoing corruption trial. Oded Levi, who voted for Netanyahu in 2022, attended the Eisenkot rally and stated that the current prime minister is responsible for the events of the past few years.
Netanyahu's durability rests on a loyal base built over three decades that has remained steady despite credible warnings of the October 7 attack. His allies promote the claim that army and intelligence chiefs kept him in the dark, a narrative that some find unfounded. He is widely regarded as a skilled coalition builder, and many expect him to outmaneuver rivals in post-election negotiations. Opposition hopes are partly fueled by liberal, secular expatriate Israelis flying home to vote. This group is not fully captured by polls and could be decisive if the result hinges on a single seat.
The atmosphere surrounding the election is charged with historical weight. On Thursday, a state ceremony marked the 1995 assassination of Yitzhak Rabin. Netanyahu stayed away and sent a low-ranking minister in his place. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats and a former general, expressed optimism that opposition leaders can agree on a regional strategic process for long-term security. He avoided using the phrase peace process, a term that has been tainted for many Israelis but has not disappeared. A widely shared video of young Israelis at a Negev music festival singing a song associated with Rabin suggests to some that the era of Netanyahu may be nearing its end.
