Politics

Highest-Ever Turnout as Israelis Vote in Pivotal Election

AI SUMMARY

Israelis are voting in a record-breaking and tightly contested election that could determine Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future.

Turnout in the Israeli election is the highest on record, with an unprecedented 70,000 citizens flying home from abroad to vote.
Polling published on Friday indicates incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot are nearly neck-and-neck.
Neither major political bloc is projected to win the 61 seats required to form a government, pointing to potential weeks or months of political coalition wrangling.
Netanyahu has urged his right-wing base to vote by characterizing high Arab voter turnout as an emergency.
Israel's Central Election Committee reported no evidence of systematic tampering after multiple leading parties complained of polling station irregularities.
The campaign has been heavily shaped by national security concerns, including ongoing criticism of Netanyahu over the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks.
Netanyahu denies reports that he pushed for last-minute military action against Iran prior to the election, which were allegedly opposed by military chief Eyal Zamir and refused by US President Donald Trump.
Votes cast by hundreds of thousands of Israeli soldiers and reservists will not begin counting until Wednesday, potentially providing a late boost to right-wing parties.