Israel Votes: Netanyahu and Eisenkot Face Tight Race for Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot are the central figures in Israel’s upcoming election, with polls published on Friday showing a near tie between the two. Neither the incumbent prime minister nor the former military chief is projected to secure the 61 seats required to form a majority government. This result suggests that weeks or months of political negotiation will follow the vote.

The campaign has focused heavily on security. The opposition bloc has criticized Netanyahu for the security failures that led to the October 7 Hamas-led attacks. Nearly 1,200 people were killed in those attacks, and 251 were taken to Gaza as hostages. The opposition has demanded an independent commission of inquiry, a step Netanyahu has resisted by arguing it would be biased against him.

Netanyahu has positioned himself as a security leader, citing strategic victories in regional wars and his relationship with US President Donald Trump. Eisenkot, who leads the newly formed Yashar Party, heads the change bloc. This group includes right-wing leaders Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman, as well as left-leaning former general Yair Golan. Their shared goal is to remove Netanyahu from power despite their ideological differences.

Netanyahu’s path to power depends on reuniting with the far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties that make up his current coalition. This is the most right-leaning government in Israel’s history. Two Arab party blocs are also in the race, representing about one-fifth of the population. While they could theoretically act as kingmakers, all but one major Jewish party have ruled out working with them.

Opposition leaders also point to threats to democracy under Netanyahu. He faces an ongoing trial on corruption charges, which he denies, and continues to push for judicial reforms that sparked mass protests before the October 7 attacks. In the final days of the campaign, reports emerged that Netanyahu sought last-minute military action against Iran. He denied these reports, and US President Trump reportedly refused to authorize new strikes on Iran.

Netanyahu recently posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear bomb hitting Tel Aviv. He used the image to argue he is the only leader who can protect Israel if Iran acquires nuclear weapons. Eisenkot called this reaction hysterical. Conscription is another key issue, as Netanyahu’s government has failed to enforce a Supreme Court ruling requiring ultra-Orthodox men in religious study to serve in the military.

Eisenkot takes a similar position on Gaza, pledging to end Hamas rule within 18 months through a US-led peace plan or military force. Israel has continued to strike Gaza almost daily since a ceasefire was agreed last year. Gaza’s health ministry says more than 74,000 people have been killed since the war began. Eisenkot supports Israeli settlements in the West Bank but wants to crack down on extremist settlers. He has spoken of creating conditions for Palestinian autonomy or a state minus, under Israeli security control.

About 70,000 Israelis have reportedly flown home from abroad to vote. Exit polls will be published at 22:00 local time on Tuesday. Results will be counted slowly, as hundreds of thousands of soldiers and reservists cast ballots that may not be tallied until Wednesday. Likud leaders will gather in Jerusalem, while Yashar leaders will meet in Tel Aviv. If no bloc reaches a majority, new elections may be called, with Netanyahu remaining as interim prime minister.