Israeli voters began casting ballots on Tuesday in the first general election held since the October 7, 2023 attack, with attention focused on how voters will respond to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
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Around 7.3 million people are eligible to vote. The latest opinion polls published before the election showed a close race between Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, and his main centrist-right rival, Gadi Eisenkot.
Most polling stations are scheduled to close at 10 p.m. local time (20:00 GMT).
The election is taking place after three years of regional wars across multiple fronts triggered by the October 7 attack, with accountability and security remaining central issues in the campaign.
The closely contested election comes as Israel appears increasingly isolated internationally amid its devastating military campaign in Gaza, accelerated settlement construction, escalating violence in the occupied West Bank, and the growing influence of the far-right religious nationalist movement.
The latest opinion polls showed Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving leader, in a virtual tie with his main centrist rival, Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff and newcomer to politics. Eisenkot’s calm demeanor is widely seen as a contrast to the style of the current prime minister.
About 7.3 million people are eligible to vote, including more than half a million young people casting ballots for the first time. Polls indicate that an overwhelming majority of them identify with the center-right or right.
Tens of thousands of Israelis are also estimated to have returned by air from abroad to take part in the election.
Source: AFP
