Knesset election 2026: Israel before the decision

Knesset election 2026 Israel facing fateful election As of: October 27, 2026 • 4:18 a.m

It is a fundamental decision in one of Israel's most serious crises: more than 7.3 million eligible voters are voting. 70,000 citizens from all over the world are flying in. A new parliament will be elected today.

For the first time since Hamas' devastating terrorist attack on October 7, 2023, and after three years of a grueling war, Israel is electing a new parliament today. More than 7.3 million eligible voters are called upon to decide the future of the country.

At the heart of the bitter political struggle is the existential question of who should lead the deeply divided country out of the current crisis. Voters are faced with a clear choice between the incumbent long-term Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his strongest challenger, the former Chief of General Staff Gadi Eisenkot.

Eisenkot is running with his newly founded party Jashar (Hebrew for "Straight Ahead") and is staging the election as a plebiscite on the identity of the Israeli nation. He warns of a growing division and accuses the incumbent leadership of neglecting national security.

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The logistical dimensions of this election reflect the urgency felt by many Israelis around the world. These days, thousands of arrivals from New York, London and Paris are mingling with travelers at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv. They incur immense costs and long journeys because Israel does not allow its citizens abroad to vote by mail. An estimated 70,000 citizens from all over the world are flying in these days to vote directly in their home country.

Among the tens of thousands of people flown in is Eitan Hemed, who came especially from Berlin. For him and many others, going to the polls is a civic duty that cannot be postponed. He combines the trip with family meetings and professional appointments, he tells the ARD Tel Aviv studio.

But the real driving force is political participation in a phase in which the country is facing historic decisions. This unprecedented mobilization of the diaspora shows how much the events of the past three years have shaken and politicized Israeli identity worldwide.

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The collective trauma of October 7, 2023 remains the dominant theme in the country. Three years of war on multiple fronts have left deep wounds in Israeli society. But instead of uniting, the commemoration of the blackest day in Jewish history since the founding of the state is being exploited in different ways by both political camps.

During the election campaign, the 77-year-old Prime Minister Netanyahu is trying to emphasize the military and strategic achievements of his term in office. His supporters point to the elimination of leading figures in the enemy infrastructure, such as the targeted killing of Hamas leader Jihia Sinwar or long-time Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Netanyahu presents himself as the only strong leader capable of withstanding international pressure and guaranteeing the country's security in the long term.

The political forces of the anti-Netanyahu alliance are using the trauma of October 7th to make a fundamental reckoning with the government. They hold Netanyahu and his right-wing religious coalition directly responsible for the devastating security failures that made Hamas' attack possible in the first place. For them, October 7th is the result of years of neglect and internal division in the country, driven by Netanyahu's personal power calculations.

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For Netanyahu, this election is about nothing less than his political and possibly also social survival. Marked by long-standing, ongoing corruption trials and confronted with massive criticism from large parts of the population, the experienced tactician is pulling out all the stops of polarization in the election campaign.

His campaign strategy relies on drawing an insurmountable dividing line between his right-wing religious bloc and the center-left camp, which he portrays as an existential threat to the country. He leaves no room for nuance in his performances.

Netanyahu is directly attacking the political center and especially his opponent Eisenkot's new party. According to Netanyahu's accusation, there is no political "straightforward" - the translation of the party name Jashar; it is merely an ideological bluff to deceive voters. In his rhetoric there is only a clear commitment to his camp or the alleged plunge into a left-wing vacuum that, in his view, would endanger the state's Jewish identity.

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Behind the political discussions lies a society that has been extremely stressed by the crises of recent years. In addition to security issues, social injustices are coming to the surface. In particular, the debate about the economic burdens of the war and the privileges of certain population groups, such as the controversial exemption of the ultra-Orthodox from military service, is causing social controversy.

While part of the population has been in reservist service on the fronts for years and is making significant personal and economic sacrifices, the question of fair distribution of the burden remains unresolved. The opposition is trying to channel this discontent, while Netanyahu relies on the discipline of his religious coalition partners.

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The political camps are irreconcilable, which is also reflected in the latest surveys. The latest polls predict a razor-thin race in which no clear favorite can be identified. In order to form a governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset, at least 61 mandates are required.

However, there is currently nothing to indicate that either Netanyahu's right-wing religious alliance or the opposition alliance led by Eisenkot can overcome this hurdle on their own. Small parties could tip the scales.

This topic in the program: tagesschau.de | Knesset election 2026: Israel before the decision | Oct 27, 2026 | 00:55 amThe First | daily news | Oct 27, 2026 | 2:00 p.m