Israel Election: 7.3 Million Voters Decide Netanyahu's Fate

7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote in Tuesday's general election, a contest that will determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power after 19 years in office. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time and close at 10 p.m. The Israeli Central Election Committee reported that approximately 330,000 of those eligible are casting their ballots for the first time.

Opinion polls indicate a narrow gap between Netanyahu's Likud party and its right-wing allies, and the rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot. Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, has positioned himself as a security hawk with support from both the right and the center. Netanyahu has campaigned on his wartime leadership and his alliance with U.S. President Donald Trump, who endorsed him and joined Israel in waging war on Iran. Netanyahu stated on Sunday that Trump was prepared to act again to finally remove the Iranian threat, but only if Netanyahu remained in power.

The election takes place after a turbulent period defined by the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and subsequent wars in Gaza and with Iran. Israeli government tallies report that the initial attacks killed 1,200 people and left 251 hostages. Gaza health authorities state that Israeli attacks since the start of the war have killed 74,000 people. For many of Netanyahu's opponents, the vote centers on establishing a national inquiry into the security failures of that day. Mali Hajaj, an Education Ministry employee and Eisenkot supporter, said the establishment of such an inquiry is where healing will come from.

Coalition arithmetic remains uncertain in the 120-seat parliament. Neither candidate has a clear path to forming a government. If no coalition emerges, Netanyahu could serve as a caretaker prime minister until another election is held next year. Netanyahu may rely on far-right leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich to form a government. Both have faced sanctions from some Western countries. Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power party has seen gains in opinion polls. Eisenkot has ruled out partnering with Arab parties, citing a lack of shared values, though analysts suggest they could prop up a minority government to remove Netanyahu.

Voters expressed mixed views on the outcome. Lisa Tortor, who hopes Netanyahu will leave office, said a new government could repair the damage done to Israel's image. Nof Gabay, an 18-year-old Likud supporter, rejected the idea that Netanyahu was to blame for the October 7 attacks. She described him as the right man for the state of Israel and said he managed the war in the best possible way. Israeli political analyst Amotz Asa-El of the Shalom Hartman Institute expects a slight majority for one side, noting that there will be no landslide.