120 Knesset Seats Up for Grabs in Tense Israeli Vote
Voters choose parties for a parliament where no single group has ever secured a majority, forcing weeks of coalition talks after a campaign defined by the October 7 attack.
By Larissa Shah ·
Israeli voters cast ballots Tuesday in a high-stakes election that serves as a direct test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership following the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack. The vote determines the composition of the 120-member Knesset, where parties must form alliances to secure a majority of 61 seats.
Opinion polls indicate a tight race with no clear frontrunner. Approximately a dozen parties are expected to win seats, setting the stage for prolonged negotiations. The outcome will decide whether Netanyahu continues his nearly two-decade dominance or faces a potential exit from politics.
Emotions ran high at polling stations across the country. In Kiryat Shmona, a Netanyahu stronghold near the Lebanese border, a voter tore down a poster of Gadi Eisenkot, the prime minister's leading rival. In Tel Aviv, families of those killed in the 2023 attack or former hostages observed a moment of silence before voting.
Yona Adam, whose son Mapal Adam was killed in the attack, participated in the silence. “Remember all those whose voices are no more,” she said. The campaign has heavily featured the scars of October 7, with candidates focusing on Netanyahu’s role in the security breakdown.
Eisenkot campaigned in Ofakim, a southern community attacked by militants in 2023. His presence there aimed to remind voters of security failures and Netanyahu’s refusal to allow a state commission of inquiry. Eisenkot lost his son and two nephews in combat in Gaza. His coalition argues that Netanyahu must be held accountable for the events of October 7 and the failure to convert battlefield gains into diplomatic wins.
Thousands of volunteer observers monitored the voting process. Eyal Sher, who volunteered with the group Elections Guards, cited the need to protect the integrity of the vote. “We have a corrupt government that will do anything to stay in power,” Sher stated. “Every vote counts and we want to make sure the procedures are kept intact.”
Netanyahu’s political future hangs on this result. A victory would cement his status as a political survivor, while a poor showing could end his career. U.S. President Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu’s reelection earlier this month, a late move that was seen as a setback for the prime minister’s narrative regarding his close ties with the White House.
The campaign also touched on other key issues. Candidates debated Netanyahu’s efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service and a 2023 judicial overhaul that critics viewed as an assault on democratic institutions. While Israel’s military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria have broad support, the vote centers on domestic governance and accountability.
