Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday in an election that could decide the political fate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Israel's longest-serving leader, with 19 years in office, faces voters weighing his record after the October 7, 2023 attacks, the Gaza war, the war on Iran and Israel's deepening international isolation.
Polling opened at 7am local time (10am PKT) and closes at 10pm (1am PKT on Wednesday). The Central Election Committee says 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote, about 330,000 of them for the first time.
Opinion polls show a close race between Netanyahu's Likud and its right-wing allies and a rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff. Netanyahu has campaigned on his wartime leadership and his ties with US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him. Eisenkot has accused him of "relying on a campaign of fear-mongering, lies and threats."
A tangled coalition maths
Neither man has a clear path to a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Netanyahu may again need far-right leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, who face sanctions from some Western countries over accusations of inciting violence against Palestinians. If no one can form a coalition, Netanyahu could stay on as caretaker until another election next year.
Analysts say a high turnout among Israel's Arab minority could help Eisenkot, although he has ruled out partnering with Arab parties. Eisenkot also opposes a two-state solution but has criticised Jewish settler violence in the occupied West Bank. Gaza health authorities say Israeli attacks have killed 74,000 people there. Results are expected to start coming in early on Wednesday.