Israel holds its first national election since Hamas' 7 October 2023 attack on 27 October, widely seen as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces ex-army chief Gadi Eisenkot in a race shaped by the war with Iran.
Israelis go to the polls on Tuesday, 27 October 2026, in the first national election since Hamas' attack of 7 October 2023, a vote widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, according to the Associated Press. The ballot will elect a new parliament, and the outcome will decide whether Netanyahu keeps power or is replaced after a campaign dominated by security and the wider war with Iran.
Netanyahu has campaigned heavily on his security credentials, insisting that only he can "finish the job" in the US-Israeli war on Iran, and he received fresh backing from US President Donald Trump, France 24 reported. His main rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, held a final rally on Sunday pledging to "heal" Israeli society and has accused Netanyahu of playing up the Iran threat when it suits him politically. Netanyahu has called Eisenkot "soft" on Iran, while Israel's defence minister on Monday denied reports of a rift between the prime minister and the army over Iran. The BBC notes that Eisenkot has ruled out joining any unity government.
Israelis cannot vote from abroad, so tens of thousands of expatriates are expected to fly home, with a "Fly and Vote" initiative helping them travel despite a failed petition by Netanyahu's Likud party to restrict it, France 24 reported. Polls predict a tight race, meaning every vote could count. The result will also be watched abroad: a week later Americans vote in midterm elections on 3 November, and the BBC says the outcomes of both ballots could shape the Middle East and the global economy. Reporix will follow the results as they are announced.
