Israeli election could end Netanyahu’s long rule

Over 6 million Israelis are voting on Saturday to choose the next prime minister, a chance for Benjamin Netanyahu to extend his long rule. Netanyahu, 77, is seeking a sixth term in office, and the election is widely seen as a referendum on his leadership. The polls suggest a tight race with his chief rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, but Israelis vote not for individuals but for parties, which then form alliances to create a majority coalition. No single party has ever won a majority in parliament, known as the Knesset. After polls close late Saturday, the jostling for power is likely to begin, between parties small and big, to achieve a governing coalition and name the next prime minister. Although it could be weeks or even months before a new prime minister is named, the election has been held against the background of the enduring trauma of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The deadliest day in Israel's history featured prominently in the campaigns. Israelis have focused on the security failures surrounding Oct. 7 and the enormous burden on their society, rather than on the humanitarian situation in war-devastated Gaza. Around 68% of Jewish Israelis say their attitudes toward Oct. 7 are a central factor in deciding which party to support, according to the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. Netanyahu has resisted calls for a commission of inquiry on Oct. 7 and continues to strike a hawkish tone on all fronts, including Iran.

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A long line of Israeli voters walking to a polling station under a blue sky, holding ballots in their hands, with the words 'Vote' and 'Israel' displayed prominently on the side of the building.

One of the candidates, Benjamin Netanyahu, 77, stands in the center, wearing a suit, looking confident, with his hand on his hip, as he speaks to a crowd of supporters behind him. The crowd is waving flags and cheering, with signs reading 'Netanyahu for Prime Minister' and 'Right or Palestine.' Behind him, a large banner displays his name and the name of his party, Likud.