The Likud‑led coalition heads into Israel’s parliamentary election on 2 November 2026 after last week’s polls revealed a razor‑thin margin, with half a million first‑time voters and tens of thousands of expatriates returning to the polls.
The election follows the October 7, 2023 Hamas‑led attacks that killed 1,200 Israelis and seized 251 hostages, an event that has reshaped the nation’s security calculus and spurred a national debate over accountability. Opposition parties, led by Eisenkot, have pledged a state commission of inquiry, a stance Netanyahu has resisted, arguing it would dilute the Supreme Court’s authority.
Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff and now head of the Yashar party, is courting working‑class voters by touting his military experience and portraying himself as a moderate alternative to Netanyahu’s hardline image. He has emphasized a vision of Israel that is Jewish, democratic, liberal, tolerant and egalitarian, appealing to voters in Ramle and other ethnically diverse cities.
Far‑right factions, notably the Jewish Power party led by Itamar Ben Gvir and the Religious Zionism faction headed by Bezalel Smotrich, are targeting younger voters with social media campaigns that stress security and territorial control. A 16% share of first‑time voters is estimated to back these parties, according to a Yedioth Ahronoth poll.
If Eisenkot secures a majority, the new cabinet could overhaul conscription laws for ultra‑Orthodox men and potentially trigger a comprehensive inquiry into the October 7 security lapse, altering the trajectory of Israeli democracy.