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In Israel, Election Day Is Just the Beginning of the Story
· Confirmed
In Short: On October 27, Israelis will head to the polls in an election that could reshape the country's future, with Benjamin Netanyahu seeking another term despite corruption charges, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Haaretz (Israel).
On October 27, Israelis will head to the polls in an election that could reshape the country's future, with Benjamin Netanyahu seeking another term despite corruption charges, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Haaretz (Israel). Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history, has been in office for 19 years and is currently standing trial on corruption charges.
Al Jazeera (Qatar) reports that Netanyahu’s coalition held 60 of the Knesset’s 120 seats when parliament dissolved in July. Haaretz (Israel) notes that in the November 2022 election, the centrist Yesh Atid party was the top vote-getter, winning one-third of the ballots in this city, followed by Likud with 20 percent.
Haaretz (Israel) visits the cities and towns that could play a pivotal role in deciding the election, highlighting the importance of local voting patterns. The Jerusalem Post (Israel) adds that Netanyahu’s chances of forming another coalition are seemingly receding, as all political streaks eventually end.
U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to Axios, cited by Haaretz (Israel). This visit comes exactly a week before the Israeli Knesset election.
A Channel 13 News poll published Monday evening projects that if an election were held today, the bloc of parties backing Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot would win 51 Knesset seats, compared with 50 for the bloc backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Haaretz (Israel).
In the run-up to the election, Netanyahu’s supporters argue that elements of Israel’s “deep state” bear primary responsibility for the security failures of October 7, 2023, as reported by Foreignpolicy.
Political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin told The Times of Israel that polls are a reflection of who Israelis are, though not a perfect one. She noted that the Israeli voter generally tends to vote strategically, favoring parties with a certain level of certainty that they’ll cross the electoral threshold.
The election comes amid a series of domestic and international issues, including the ongoing conflict with Hamas and the broader geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
Haaretz (Israel) highlights the importance of local voting patterns, noting that in the November 2022 election, the centrist Yesh Atid party was the top vote-getter, followed by Likud.
The Jerusalem Post (Israel) adds that Netanyahu’s chances of forming another coalition are seemingly receding, as all political streaks eventually end.
In the run-up to the election, Netanyahu’s supporters argue that elements of Israel’s “deep state” bear primary responsibility for the security failures of October 7, 2023.
The election is shaping up to be a critical moment for Israel, with the outcome potentially reshaping the country’s future.
What this adds
The election is expected to be a pivotal moment for Israel, with the outcome potentially reshaping the country’s future.
Background
Turnout among the Arab minority has traditionally been lower than in Israel as a whole, but this election is sparking calls for a mobilization push among Israel’s Arab population.
What's confirmed
- On October 27, Israelis will head to the polls in an election that could reshape the country's future, with Benjamin Netanyahu seeking another term despite corruption charges, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Haaretz (Israel). Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history, has been in office for 19 years and is currently standing trial on corruption charges.
- Al Jazeera (Qatar) reports that Netanyahu’s coalition held 60 of the Knesset’s 120 seats when parliament dissolved in July. Haaretz (Israel) notes that in the November 2022 election, the centrist Yesh Atid party was the top vote-getter, winning one-third of the ballots in this city, followed by Likud with 20 percent.
- Haaretz (Israel) visits the cities and towns that could play a pivotal role in deciding the election, highlighting the importance of local voting patterns. The Jerusalem Post (Israel) adds that Netanyahu’s chances of forming another coalition are seemingly receding, as all political streaks eventually end.
- U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth made an unannounced visit to Israel on Monday, meeting with Prime Minister Netanyahu, according to Axios, cited by Haaretz (Israel). This visit comes exactly a week before the Israeli Knesset election.
- A Channel 13 News poll published Monday evening projects that if an election were held today, the bloc of parties backing Yashar chairman Gadi Eisenkot would win 51 Knesset seats, compared with 50 for the bloc backing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to Haaretz (Israel).
- In the run-up to the election, Netanyahu’s supporters argue that elements of Israel’s “deep state” bear primary responsibility for the security failures of October 7, 2023, as reported by Foreignpolicy.
- Political analyst Dahlia Scheindlin told The Times of Israel that polls are a reflection of who Israelis are, though not a perfect one. She noted that the Israeli voter generally tends to vote strategically, favoring parties with a certain level of certainty that they’ll cross the electoral threshold.
- The election comes amid a series of domestic and international issues, including the ongoing conflict with Hamas and the broader geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
- Haaretz (Israel) highlights the importance of local voting patterns, noting that in the November 2022 election, the centrist Yesh Atid party was the top vote-getter, followed by Likud.
- The Jerusalem Post (Israel) adds that Netanyahu’s chances of forming another coalition are seemingly receding, as all political streaks eventually end.
- In the run-up to the election, Netanyahu’s supporters argue that elements of Israel’s “deep state” bear primary responsibility for the security failures of October 7, 2023.
- The election is shaping up to be a critical moment for Israel, with the outcome potentially reshaping the country’s future.
What's still developing
- The convulsion, which officials described as of extraordinary intensity, raised the stakes for President Emmanuel Macron, who is in his final months in power before elections to replace him in six months’ time.
- Vladimir Putin's ruling United Russia party won a large majority in the country's parliamentary elections, marked by cyberattacks and a barrage of Ukrainian drone strikes, according to results published by state media early on Monday.
- "disrupt the democratic will of Russian citizens."
- A growing coalition of Queens Republican, Jewish and community leaders is looking to turn grassroots energy into action as the campaign season moves into its critical final stretch before Election Day.
- He urged those gathered to become more actively involved as the campaign moves toward Election Day.
- Rather than take place as scheduled next month, the decree issued Friday pushes the elections back to Sept. 11, 2027, according to WAFA, the official Palestinian news agency.
- RAMALLAH, West Bank — Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas postponed what would have been the first Palestinian elections in nearly 20 years, issuing a decree to further delay voting for the Palestinian Legislative Council almost another year.
- In the run-up to the 2018 midterm elections, Donald Trump seemed to realize that his party was poised to suffer significant losses.
- Eight years later, in the run-up to the Republican’s second midterm elections, the incumbent president is again feeling desperate, well aware of the fact that his party is likely to suffer a new round of election losses, which has led him to once again float another ridiculous vow.
- Ukraine fired waves of drones at Moscow and the surrounding region early Sunday, September 20, killing two people and setting an oil refinery ablaze as Russians voted in a final day of parliamentary elections, officials said.
- The United Russia party, which has won every parliamentary election in Russia since 2003, is widely expected to cruise to another victory.
- There had been a series of controversies in the year and a half after his re-election.