Israelis turn out in record numbers for Netanyahu election test

JERUSALEM: Israelis voted in record numbers on Tuesday in a closely contested election that could determine the political future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose leadership has faced mounting scrutiny following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks and subsequent regional wars.

Long queues formed at polling stations across the country as voters considered the government’s security record, its handling of the wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, and Israel’s growing international isolation.

The Central Elections Committee reported that 55.7% of eligible voters had cast their ballots within the first nine hours, marking a record turnout for that stage of an election day. Voting was scheduled to continue for another six hours, although the impact of the high participation rate on the final outcome remained uncertain.

Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, has defended his record and presented himself as the leader best equipped to confront the country’s security challenges. His right-wing coalition includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties, while his opponents are attempting to unite voters across the political spectrum to remove him from office.

His main challenger, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, is seeking to build an alternative governing coalition with support from centrist and right-wing parties, alongside the remaining left-wing political bloc. Opinion polls have indicated a tight contest, with neither side having a clear path to securing a parliamentary majority.

The election is the first since the October 7 attacks, which killed around 1,200 people in Israel and saw 251 others taken hostage, according to Israeli figures. The attacks triggered a devastating war in Gaza, where health authorities have reported more than 74,000 Palestinian deaths.

For many opposition supporters, the vote is also a referendum on the security failures that preceded the attacks. Opposition parties have pledged to establish a national inquiry into the events, while Netanyahu’s government has resisted calls for such an investigation.

Eisenkot said he hoped the election would mark a turning point for Israel. During a visit to Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities targeted during the October 7 attacks, he expressed confidence that the country could enter a new political phase.

He has criticised the outcome of Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, arguing that Hamas continues to exercise power despite the war. Eisenkot has pledged to dismantle the group’s military and governing capabilities within 18 months if he forms a government.

Netanyahu urged his supporters to vote, warning that strong participation among opposition voters and Arab Israelis could threaten his coalition’s prospects. He also campaigned on his close relationship with US President Donald Trump, who has backed Israel during the conflict with Iran.

Turnout among Israel’s Arab minority could prove particularly significant. Arab voters account for roughly one-fifth of the country’s population, and their participation could affect the balance of power in parliament. Arab political leaders have argued that a strong turnout could help create an alternative to Netanyahu’s government.

However, the question of cooperation with Arab parties remains contentious. Eisenkot has ruled out joining a coalition with them, although some possible parliamentary arrangements could involve Arab parties supporting a minority government from outside it.

The campaign has also highlighted tensions over Israel’s Palestinian policy. Netanyahu has repeatedly portrayed Arab Israelis as a security concern, drawing criticism from opponents who say his rhetoric encourages discrimination. On Tuesday, he shared an image on social media purportedly showing Arab women queuing at a polling station. The image was identified as having been prepared using OpenAI’s tools, according to the report.

Meanwhile, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir predicted that Netanyahu would return to office and said his party would remain a central force within a right-wing government.

Although both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have presented themselves as strong on security, neither supports the two-state solution that has long formed the basis of international efforts to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Eisenkot has nevertheless criticised settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank, which has increased since 2023, and opposed some of Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners.