Israel election: Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of ‘lies and intimidation’, urges voters to back change

Gadi Eisenkot, a leading challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, has accused him of using “lies and intimidation” in his election campaign and urged voters to turn out in large numbers to bring about a change in government.

In a post on X ahead of Tuesday's parliamentary election, Eisenkot said Netanyahu was resorting to threats and fear to influence voters, including by circulating an image depicting a nuclear explosion in Tel Aviv.

“This time it won't work for him,” Eisenkot said, calling on Israelis to vote according to their conscience and for the future of the country.

Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, said a decisive victory over Netanyahu's Likud party would help bring a change in leadership.

“A large gap victory over the Likud will ensure the change and bring about the victory of the majority of the Zionist state-oriented camp in Israel,” he said.

The election is being held amid heightened security concerns, public divisions over the government's handling of the war and demands for accountability over the October 7, 2023, attack.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, is seeking another term and has received public backing from US President Donald Trump, who urged Israeli voters to support him.

In a social media post ahead of the election, Netanyahu shared an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion in Tel Aviv while warning of the threat posed by Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.

Eisenkot's Yashar party and Netanyahu's Likud are competing in a closely watched contest. However, opinion polls cited by Israeli media indicate that neither of the main political blocs is assured of securing a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

A party or coalition needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers to form a government. The outcome could therefore depend on negotiations with smaller parties after the results are declared.

Israel follows a proportional representation system in which parties receive parliamentary seats according to their share of the vote. Parties must secure at least 3.25 per cent of valid votes to enter the Knesset.

The official election results are scheduled to be published on November 4, while an initial indication of the outcome is expected after counting concludes.