Netanyahu faces Eisenkot in fight for Knesset seats
With polls open in Israel's first elections since 2023, the prime minister risks losing his majority as a former army chief emerges as the leading challenger.
By Pavel Henderson ·
Benjamin Netanyahu went to the polls on Tuesday in a bid to retain his position as prime minister of Israel. He faces a direct challenge from Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff who leads the Yashar party. The vote marks the first parliamentary contest since the attacks on October 7, 2023.
Polling stations opened at 7:00 am local time and will close at 10:00 pm. A total of 36 electoral lists are competing for 120 seats in the Knesset. The winner will help form Israel’s 38th government. Netanyahu’s current coalition, which includes right-wing, far-right, and ultra-Orthodox parties, took office in December 2022. It is the first government since 1988 to complete a full four-year term.
Current projections indicate that Netanyahu’s bloc may fall short of the 61 seats required for a majority. Estimates place his support at approximately 50 seats. Eisenkot’s Yashar party is projected to outperform Likud, Netanyahu’s own party. However, neither the opposition camp nor the incumbent coalition is expected to secure a majority on its own. This creates a complex scenario for government formation.
Palestinian-led parties are projected to win between 14 and 16 seats in total. Both major camps have ruled out including these parties in a governing coalition. This gives the smaller blocs potential leverage in negotiations. Palestinian citizens make up about 18 percent of eligible voters, or roughly 1.17 million people. Arab48 reported high early turnout in Palestinian-majority towns on Tuesday.
Pollsters suggest that turnout among this demographic could reach 60 to 70 percent, up from 53 percent in the 2022 election. Higher participation could help Ra’am and the Joint List secure their projected seats. Netanyahu has served as prime minister for more than 19 years across three separate terms. He first held the office from 1996 to 1999, returned in 2009, and served until 2021 before his current term began in December 2022.
Israeli television channels are scheduled to broadcast exit polls when voting closes. Unofficial results are expected during the night. The full count of ballots is due by October 30. Official results will be announced on November 4.
Source: Middle East Eye
