Israel heads to Tuesday election with Netanyahu facing a challenge from Gadi Eisenkot

Summary

Israelis vote in a general election on Tuesday, the first since the 7 October attacks, with national security concerns dominating the campaign. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has defined the country's politics for three decades and has held the premiership on and off for 19 of the past 30 years, faces a challenge from Gadi Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff who entered politics only four years ago and leads the opposition. The Guardian reports that at an evening rally in Modi'in, speakers stressed Eisenkot's working-class Moroccan Jewish background and his rise through the military, while the campaign is framed around whether Netanyahu can pull off another political feat. In Tel Aviv, the Guardian found a deepening generational divide, with many younger voters saying Netanyahu has not gone far enough in Gaza.

Timeline

1. The Guardian

   24 Oct 2026, 05:00 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian reports that Israel is divided ahead of Tuesday's general election, with Gadi Eisenkot campaigning against Benjamin Netanyahu, and asks whether Netanyahu can pull off his greatest political trick yet.

2. The Guardian

   24 Oct 2026, 09:08 UTCSource ↗

   The Guardian's video report says Israel is heading to the polls for the first time since the 7 October attacks, with national security dominating the campaign, and that in Tel Aviv many younger voters say Netanyahu has not gone far enough in Gaza.