Eisenkot and Netanyahu face off as Israelis vote in tight race

Israelis cast ballots on Tuesday in a national election that will determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power. The vote is widely viewed as a referendum on his leadership following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent wars in the region. No single party has ever secured a majority in the 120-member Knesset, so the result will depend on post-election negotiations among roughly a dozen parties.

Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot is Netanyahu's primary rival. Eisenkot campaigned in Ofakim, a southern community attacked in 2023, to highlight security failures under the current government. He lost his son and two nephews in combat in Gaza. Eisenkot is pressing for accountability regarding the October 7 breach, while Netanyahu seeks to maintain his coalition of religious and nationalist partners.

Opinion polls indicate a tight race with no clear front-runner. This outcome sets the stage for weeks or months of coalition building. Netanyahu, 77, has dominated Israeli politics for nearly two decades. A loss could end his career, while a victory would solidify his status as a political survivor. U.S. President Donald Trump backed Netanyahu earlier this month, though the late endorsement was seen as a slight setback for the Likud leader.

Emotions ran high at polling stations across the country. Noga Mizrahi, a voter in Jerusalem who came from kibbutz Nirim, described the election as critical. In Tel Aviv, families of victims and former hostages held a moment of silence. Yona Adam, whose son Mapal was killed, urged voters to remember those who are gone. In Kiryat Shmona, a Netanyahu stronghold near the Lebanese border, a man tore down a poster of Eisenkot.

Voters expressed divided views on security. Nisim Cohen, a reservist in Jerusalem, said he was voting for Netanyahu to continue wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and with Iran until peace is restored. Cohen argued that Netanyahu is not responsible for the initial attack on October 7. Meanwhile, other voters said they wanted a change in leadership.

More than 7.3 million Israelis were eligible to vote, including about 330,000 young people who spent high school in the shadow of war. Approximately 12,000 polling stations opened across the country. Thousands of volunteer observers from the group Elections Guards monitored the process. Eyal Sher, a volunteer, said the group wanted to ensure procedures remained intact despite accusations of a corrupt government seeking to stay in power.

The campaign focused heavily on the security breakdown of October 7, the exemption of ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, and a 2023 judicial overhaul. There was little debate over wartime conduct in Gaza, which led to an international arrest warrant against Netanyahu. The Knesset will count ballots manually at each station immediately after polls close at 10 p.m. in most areas.