Suspense in Israeli politics has reached its peak as Tuesday’s general election is set to decide Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future. The vote is being held amid the Gaza war, the conflict with Iran and security failures, making it one of the most crucial elections in the country’s recent history. While Netanyahu is trying to retain power, opposition parties are offering stiff competition.
Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, has 120 seats, and 61 seats are needed to form a government. Pre-poll surveys suggest that no single party is likely to win a clear majority. Three major factors are expected to decide the outcome.
The first is the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, regarded as the biggest security failure in Israel’s history. The question of who was responsible is weighing on voters’ minds. The opposition is using it as its main weapon, while Netanyahu argues that his experience will protect the country. The second is an AI-generated image he shared on social media before polling, showing a nuclear blast over Tel Aviv. It went viral and was seen as an attempt to divert voters’ attention to the Iran threat, ahead of all other issues.
The third factor is Donald Trump’s praise of Netanyahu as a “warrior prime minister,” which has become a big plus point for him. Netanyahu is campaigning that he will confront the Iranian threat together with Trump.
According to surveys, Netanyahu’s bloc may fall short of a majority, with Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party reportedly slightly ahead. Trends are expected on October 28 and full results by the 29th, with the official result to be announced on November 4. Who forms the government with whom remains the real suspense.