Israeli voters face a tight election shaped by the Oct. 7 trauma

Israel’s election is widely seen as a referendum on the country’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and polling suggests a tight race with his chief rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot. Israel is holding a referendum on its longest-serving prime minister as the impact of the Oct. 7 attacks is reflected in the election. The enduring trauma of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, when militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 others, and the ensuing wars in Gaza and beyond have shaped the election. The deadliest day in Israel's history featured prominently in the campaigns, and Israeli voters have focused on the security failures surrounding Oct. 7 and the enormous burden on their society, rather than on the humanitarian situation in war-devastated Gaza. Around 68% of Jewish Israelis say their attitudes toward Oct. 7 are a central factor in deciding which party to support, according to the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. Netanyahu has resisted calls for a commission of inquiry on Oct. 7 and continues to strike a hawkish tone on all fronts, including Iran. His opposition focuses on his role in the security breakdown on Oct. 7 and his efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, a policy that has angered the broader public during a time of protracted wars.

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Israeli voters face a tight election shaped by the Oct. 7 trauma

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The impact of the Oct. 7 attacks is reflected in the election as Israel holds a referendum on its longest-serving prime minister.

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Israel’s election is widely seen as a referendum on the country’s longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, and polling suggests a tight race with his chief rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot. Israel is holding a referendum on its longest-serving prime minister as the impact of the Oct. 7 attacks is reflected in the election. The enduring trauma of the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, attack, when militants killed 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and abducted 251 others, and the ensuing wars in Gaza and beyond have shaped the election. The deadliest day in Israel's history featured prominently in the campaigns, and Israeli voters have focused on the security failures surrounding Oct. 7 and the enormous burden on their society, rather than on the humanitarian situation in war-devastated Gaza. Around 68% of Jewish Israelis say their attitudes toward Oct. 7 are a central factor in deciding which party to support, according to the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank. Netanyahu has resisted calls for a commission of inquiry on Oct. 7 and continues to strike a hawkish tone on all fronts, including Iran. His opposition focuses on his role in the security breakdown on Oct. 7 and his efforts to exempt ultra-Orthodox Jews from military service, a policy that has angered the broader public during a time of protracted wars.

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