Israel’s October 27 election is being viewed as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack and the subsequent war in Gaza.
Key campaign issues include security failures, demands for an independent inquiry, military-service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jews, economic pressures and ethnic divisions. Opposition leaders, including former military chief Gadi Eisenkot and former PM Naftali Bennett, are challenging Netanyahu’s political leadership.
The election also highlights tensions between secular and religious communities over compulsory military service.
Meanwhile, Arab voter turnout could influence coalition negotiations, with political parties seeking the parliamentary support needed to form a government.
Despite growing debate over security and governance, the Israeli-Palestinian two-state solution has remained largely absent from the campaigns of major Jewish parties.
The outcome will depend not only on party performance but also on whether competing political blocs can secure the support of at least 61 members in Israel’s 120-seat parliament.