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A pedestrian passes a campaign billboard featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and his main rival, opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot, with a message in Hebrew that reads "The race is tight," Friday, Oct. 23, 2026, in Tel Aviv, Israel.
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JERUSALEM (AP) — Two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack in the occupied West Bank tha…
Israelis held a final large rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of Tuesday's close election. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump continues to weigh the possibility of new strikes against Iran as well as the chance of making a deal. Elsewhere, airstrikes in Yemen killed 15 people, and the Iranian-backed Houthi health authorities blamed Saudi Arabia. In Jordan, the death toll from a church attack rose to nine. A senior Iranian military commander said Iran will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf. And the United Arab Emirates closed beaches after an oil spill from a tanker impacted its shores.
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.
