Eisenkot challenges Netanyahu in Israeli election marked by record early turnout

Central Elections Committee data released Tuesday morning indicated that nearly 17% of eligible voters had cast ballots in the first three hours of polling. This early participation rate represents the highest turnout recorded for that specific time slot since the 1981 elections. More than 7 million citizens are eligible to vote, with reports indicating that tens of thousands traveled from overseas to participate in the national vote.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has led the country for the longest period in its history, faces a concerted challenge from a coalition of parties seeking to remove him from power. Opinion polls suggest a competitive race between Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief. Eisenkot’s Yashar party filed an urgent complaint early Tuesday regarding nine incidents where ballot slips were missing, damaged, or turned over inside voting booths. The party described these occurrences as a systematic and deliberate sabotage attempt, though the acting director-general of the elections committee, Dean Livne, stated that the total number of irregularity reports remained lower than in previous cycles.

The election marks the first national vote since the October 7, 2023 attack that triggered the war in Gaza and subsequent regional conflicts. In Tel Aviv, families of victims and former hostages observed a moment of silence before polls opened. Yona Adam, whose daughter Mapal Adam was killed during the attack, urged voters to remember those who are no longer present. Approximately 330,000 young Israelis, many of whom face compulsory military service, are casting their first ballots.

Eisenkot visited communities near Gaza that were attacked on October 7 early Tuesday. He stated that any responsible government would begin the morning in those areas, noting that Netanyahu had not been seen in public three hours after polls opened. Eisenkot’s supporters view him as a leader with strong security credentials who can protect Israel’s secular values. His party and likely governing partners have vowed to conscript ultra-Orthodox men and strengthen the independence of the judiciary. Eisenkot’s son and two nephews were killed in Gaza.

Netanyahu’s supporters argue that he provides steady leadership and has guided Israel through multiple wars while protecting its Jewish identity. They credit him with keeping the judiciary in check. His detractors describe him as a polarizing figure whose ongoing corruption trial and decision to prolong the Gaza war were driven by political motives. They accuse him of weakening democratic institutions and allowing ultra-Orthodox religious Jews to avoid military enlistment.

The outcome of the election will determine whether Netanyahu’s religious and ultranationalist coalition maintains power or if a group of parties led by Eisenkot takes control. No single party has ever won an outright parliamentary majority in Israel’s fragmented system, meaning the winner will need to form a coalition. If neither side secures enough support, the country could face weeks of negotiations before a new leader is declared. Arab-led parties, which are pushing for high turnout, could become decisive kingmakers in this process.

Mansour Abbas, the head of the Islamist Ra’am party, stated that his vote would change the government and hoped for over 70% turnout in Arab communities. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national security minister, warned that it would be Mansour Abbas’ government if Netanyahu and his allies did not win. Ben-Gvir has previously made controversial remarks about Palestinian detainees and the population in Gaza.

Tensions with Iran loom over the election. Netanyahu intensified threats against Tehran ahead of the vote, appearing in a video beside a missile-defense battery to warn of a devastating blow if Israel were attacked. The election is being watched closely by international partners who have recently imposed sanctions and expressed criticism over Israel’s conduct in Gaza and the West Bank.