War shakes Netanyahu's support in Israel's north
On Israel’s border with Lebanon where Hizbollah fired thousands of rockets and drones, previous backers of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu say they are rethinking how they will vote in the first election since the war. “Many I know were right-wing and were Bibi supporters, and today they’re not,” said plant nursery owner Sigal Malachi, using a nickname for Israel’s longest-serving premier.
War has shaken the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in northern Israel. Many who previously backed the right-wing government are reconsidering their votes for the upcoming election on October 27. Sigal Malachi, a nursery owner, says she knows people who were once strong supporters of Netanyahu but are no longer. She describes the conflict as more intense than anything she has experienced before.
The war, which began in October 2023, forced many to close their businesses and displace tens of thousands of Israelis. The ceasefire in November 2024 brought a semblance of normalcy, but evacuees were not allowed to return until early 2025. The conflict has reignited discussions about the government's ability to secure lasting peace with resistance fighters.
Shadi Tuma, a supermarket owner in Shlomi, a border town, expresses his frustration with the government's response to the war. He says the psychological impact of the conflict is immense and that many residents are struggling to cope. The conflict has also shifted longstanding political loyalties, with many residents now questioning their support for Netanyahu.
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