Israel’s Election Tests Netanyahu’s Grip on Power

Voters are turning out in record numbers Tuesday to cast their vote in what could prove to be one of the most consequential elections in Israeli politics. The first national vote since the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023 attacks, which triggered Israel’s war in Gaza, pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition against a right-wing opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who lost his son in the war. Recent polls showed the two blocs running almost neck and neck. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, faces scrutiny over a range of issues, including the security failures that precipitated the Oct. 7 attacks. As Frida Ghitis wrote for WPR in August, he hoped Israel’s military campaign against Iran, launched with the U.S. in February, would help “wash away the seemingly indelible stain” of Oct. 7 and restore his image as “Mr. Security.” But the campaign did not unfold as he hoped, further complicating his bid to remain in power. Read More: