Israel Votes in First Election Since October 7 Attack
Polls show a close race as voters weigh accountability for Oct. 7 and whether Netanyahu can hold together his right-wing coalition.
- On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Israelis began voting in the first national election since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, with 7.3 million eligible voters electing the 120-seat Knesset.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a referendum on his leadership as voters weigh accountability for Oct. 7 security failures and the multi-front wars that have defined his tenure since 2023.
- Recent polls indicate a competitive race between the Likud party and the centrist Yashar, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, with neither bloc projected to secure the 61-seat majority.
- Coalition negotiations could last weeks or months, with analysts predicting potential deadlock that may leave Netanyahu as caretaker prime minister or force another national election early next year.
- Israel grapples with military conscription disputes and ongoing regional conflicts that will shape the next government's approach to national identity and the country's international standing.
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Israelis went to the polls amid political divisions. Recent polls indicate that current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is neck and neck with former military commander Gadi Isenkot.
Israel Heads to the Polls
A cyclist rides beneath a pedestrian bridge displaying electronic election billboards showing former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot (L) and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R) in Tel Aviv, Israel on Oct. 23, 2026. —Erik Marmor—picture alliance/Getty ImagesIsraelis head to polling stations Tuesday to decide the political fate of Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving Prime Minister who faces one of the most consequential tests of h…
Israel Election 2026: How Netanyahu’s Successor Will Be Chosen
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and centrist challenger Gadi Eisenkot ahead of Israel’s October 27, 2026, parliamentary election, which could determine the country’s next government. Israeli voters are heading to the polls on Tuesday to elect 120 members of the Knesset, in a closely watched parliamentary election that could determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power or centrist rivals form the next government.…
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