Knesset Voting: Eisenkot Challenges Netanyahu
Voters in Israel cast ballots in the first general election since the October 2023 attacks, with polls indicating neither major bloc will secure a majority alone.
By Alexander Parker ·
Polls opened at 7 a.m. local time on Tuesday for the first Israeli parliamentary election since the October 7, 2023 attacks. The voting period is scheduled to end at 10 p.m. local time. This contest determines the composition of the country's 38th government.
Thirty-six lists are competing for 120 seats in the Knesset. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads a coalition of right-wing, far-right, and ultra-Orthodox parties. His bloc took office in December 2022 and became the first Israeli government since 1988 to complete a full four-year term. However, current projections suggest his alliance may fall short of the 61 seats required for a majority, with estimates placing it at approximately 50 seats.
Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief, serves as the primary challenger from the Yashar party. He seeks to displace Netanyahu, who has held the office for more than 19 years across three separate terms. Netanyahu first served from 1996 to 1999, returned in 2009, and remained in power until 2021. His current term began in December 2022. Polls indicate Eisenkot's party is currently ahead of Netanyahu's Likud, though neither the opposition nor the incumbent's camp is expected to form a government independently.
Parties led by Palestinian citizens are projected to win between 14 and 16 seats combined. Both major political camps have stated they will not include these parties in a governing coalition. This dynamic may grant the Palestinian-led bloc influence in determining which party forms the next cabinet. Palestinian citizens constitute about 18 percent of eligible voters, a total of roughly 1.17 million people.
Pollsters estimate turnout among Palestinian citizens could reach 60 to 70 percent, a rise from the 53 percent recorded in 2022. The Arab48 news outlet reported high early turnout in Palestinian-majority towns on Tuesday. Israeli television channels plan to broadcast exit polls once voting concludes. Unofficial results are expected overnight, with a full count anticipated by October 30 and official results due on November 4.
Source: Middle East Eye
