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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party, gestures to supporters as security personnel surround him during a campaign appearance at a market in Tel Aviv, Israel, Thursday, Oct. 22, 2026, ahead of the country's general election.
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When Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, it looked like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s days in office were numbered. With the country overwhelmed by grief and anger after the deadliest attack in its history, his resignation seemed like a matter of time. But the divisive veteran Israeli leader has scratched, scraped and literally battled his way back during a stormy three-year period of nonstop domestic crises and wars across the region. Confounding his critics, he now finds himself in a tight race for reelection on Tuesday. It's a vote in which the legacy of the country’s most dominant politician of nearly two decades is on the line.
Israelis are voting in a pivotal election as the country grapples with unfinished wars and divisions over its future. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a strong challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Polls show neither candidate's party is likely to garner enough support for a parliamentary majority, leading to possible weeks of negotiations over forming a winning coalition. The election is Israel's first national vote since the Oct. 7 attacks and serves as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership. The outcome could shape Israel's identity as either more nationalist and religious or liberal democratic.
