Israel Heads To October 27 Polls As Netanyahu Faces Ex-IDF Chief Amid Anti-Government Protests

Israel will vote on October 27 in a crucial general election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a challenge from former Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief Gadi Eisenkot. The first national election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that triggered the Gaza war comes amid regional conflicts, economic concerns and growing criticism of the government.

Final opinion polls published before the election silence period showed Eisenkot's Yashar party narrowly ahead of Netanyahu's Likud, but neither bloc was projected to secure the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. A poll by public broadcaster KAN projected 52 seats for the opposition bloc and 50 for Netanyahu's camp, leaving Arab and other unaffiliated parties potentially decisive.

Thousands gathered in Tel Aviv on October 24 for an anti-government demonstration organised by the October Council, a group representing families of victims and hostages from the Hamas attack. Protesters marched from Rabin Square towards Hostages Square, demanding an independent state commission of inquiry into the security failures that allowed the assault.

Opposition leaders, including Eisenkot and former prime minister Naftali Bennett, were central to the election campaign. Netanyahu's government has rejected an independent inquiry and proposed a political commission instead. Opposition leaders have said they would boycott it.

The election's key issues include security, the economy and military service for ultra-Orthodox Jewish men. A KAN poll found 34 per cent of respondents prioritised the economy, while 32 per cent cited security.

Netanyahu also faced criticism after suggesting Israel might need an alternative digital economy amid growing international isolation. Eisenkot mocked the idea as 'bbCoin', a reference to Netanyahu's nickname, Bibi. Opposition leader Yair Lapid warned of potential economic consequences and difficulties securing a security agreement with Washington. These were opposition claims, not established outcomes.

Israel's 120-seat Knesset uses proportional representation, with parties needing at least 3.25 per cent of the national vote to enter parliament. Voting results are expected to emerge on October 28, while official results are due on November 4. The president will then ask a leader to form a government within 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension.