Israelis vote in first election since Oct. 7 attack as Netanyahu faces Eisenkot
In short
Israelis voted on Tuesday in their first national election since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 77, is seeking re-election against a coalition led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, and outlets described the race as tight.
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Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday in the country's first national election since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023. Bloomberg reported that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 77, and his wife Sara cast their ballots, and an AP live-updates headline said early numbers showed high voter turnout. [ 4 , 35 , 38 ]
Netanyahu is seeking re-election. His main rival is Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, who leads a coalition trying to unseat him. PBS NewsHour reported that Eisenkot's party is called Yashar and quoted him promising an era without lies and manipulations. Bloomberg said Eisenkot and his allies call Netanyahu Israel's greatest threat. [ 10 , 21 , 31 ]
Outlets differed on the state of the race. Bloomberg said polls had consistently forecast a razor-thin outcome. NBC News said Netanyahu's party was neck and neck with Eisenkot. CBS News said Likud was lagging in polls and that Netanyahu's coalition trailed. [ 3 , 10 , 13 , 31 ]
AP described the vote as widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, whose leadership has been challenged over the Oct. 7 attack, the ensuing wars and domestic divisions. It said there had been almost no debate over Israel's wartime conduct in Gaza, its occupation of much of southern Lebanon and parts of Syria, or its two wars on Iran. Candidates instead focused on Netanyahu's leadership and character, his role in the security breakdown on Oct. 7 and his efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service. Bloomberg said the campaign was consumed largely by Iran, national security and the war. CBS News reported that two new parties are demanding that ultra-Orthodox citizens be formally included in mandatory military service. [ 4 , 6 , 17 ]
NBC News said the Oct. 7 attacks killed 1,195 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza. It said many of Netanyahu's opponents believe he has evaded responsibility for the intelligence failures before the attack. PBS NewsHour reported that the opposition says he failed to prevent the attack and is blocking an investigation, while he has campaigned on keeping Israel safe. NBC added that he faces criminal cases on charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery. [ 10 , 21 ]
The New York Times said it can take weeks, months or longer to form a new government after the vote. [ 1 ]
Why it matters
Outlets describe the vote as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership and as one of the most consequential in years. The New York Times noted that forming a new government can take weeks, months or longer, so the result may not settle who governs right away.
Key facts
- Israel held its first national election since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023. [ 4 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 28 , 31 ]
- Netanyahu is seeking re-election; Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, is described as his main rival. [ 6 , 10 , 11 , 31 ]
- Bloomberg said polls have consistently forecast a razor-thin outcome. [ 31 ]
- Bloomberg reported that Netanyahu and his wife Sara cast their ballots. [ 38 ]
- AP live updates carried the headline that early numbers show high voter turnout. [ 35 ]
- Netanyahu faces criminal cases on charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery, according to NBC News. [ 10 ]
- NBC News said the Oct. 7 attacks killed 1,195 people and led to 251 hostages being taken into Gaza. [ 10 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The vote is the first national election in Israel since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7, 2023. [ 4 , 10 , 11 , 28 , 31 ]
- Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, is Netanyahu's main challenger. [ 6 , 10 , 11 , 31 ]
- Outlets described the race as tight, and the vote as a referendum on Netanyahu. [ 4 , 5 , 10 , 11 , 29 , 31 ]
- Netanyahu faces corruption charges in Israel. [ 10 , 21 , 37 ]
- Netanyahu's opponents criticise his responsibility for the failures around Oct. 7. [ 4 , 10 , 21 ]
Still unclear
- Which side leads in the polls. CBS News said Netanyahu's Likud party and coalition trail in polls, while NBC News said his party is neck and neck with Eisenkot and Bloomberg said polls forecast a razor-thin outcome.
- The result and the composition of the next government. The documents report voting only. The New York Times said forming a government can take weeks, months or longer.
- Final turnout. The only document on turnout is an AP live-updates headline citing early numbers showing high turnout, with no figures.