Deeply divided Israel braces for pivotal election

Israel heads into a pivotal election on Tuesday, with polls showing the ruling coalition and the main opposition bloc almost tied. The vote will be cast by roughly half a million first‑time voters, and about 70,000 Israelis have flown in from abroad to vote. The result could decide the country’s direction after three years of regional war and mounting internal divisions.

The election comes at a moment when Israel feels the weight of conflict and change. In central Tel Aviv, crowds of opposition supporters gathered on Saturday night demanding a new government. A 21‑year‑old voter named Omri said he wants peace, security, and an end to corruption, and that he wants “religious fanatics out.” The campaign has used new tactics, including AI‑generated videos that grab headlines, and a new face that many did not expect to lead.

That new face is Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff who is seen as calm and low‑drama. He is the leader of the centrist Yashar party, which has repeatedly topped polls ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud. Eisenkot’s appeal is tied to his working‑class Moroccan background and his personal story, including the loss of his son in the Gaza war. He presents himself as coming “from the periphery” rather than the urban elite. During a recent event at a community centre for Ethiopian Jews in Ramle, a young man named David said Eisenkot “looks you in the eye, not like a leader looking down at someone,” and that he listens sympathetically. Eisenkot’s rise has been punctuated by a racist slur used by a pro‑Netanyahu speaker, who called him a “Moroccan monkey.” He has responded by stressing that the elections are about security, the economy, education, and the identity of the State of Israel.

Israel’s politics is built on coalition‑building, not single‑party victories. With the predicted result so close, many Israelis see the election as existential for the country’s future. The outcome will determine who will lead the next coalition, how the war’s aftermath is handled, and whether the country moves toward a more inclusive and less divisive future. The next few days will see parties scrambling to secure alliances, and the world will be watching to see whether Israel can bridge its deep divisions.