Netanyahu denies allegations he's escalating tensions with Iran before Israel's election

Israelis will go to the polls Tuesday in a closely contested election following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks. CBS News reports that polls show an incredibly tight race with no guarantee of a quick outcome, as most polls suggest neither side is likely to win a decisive majority of the 120 Knesset seats. While right-leaning pollsters favor the right-wing and religious bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left-leaning pollsters show an advantage for the opposing change bloc.

Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, stated that an indecisive outcome appears most likely.

During the campaign, Netanyahu has focused on his security credentials, asserting that only he can finish the conflict with Iran. His rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, has accused Netanyahu of playing up the Iranian threat for political advantage, according to France 24. In response to reports of a rift between Netanyahu and the army over Iran, Defence Minister Israel Katz rejected the claims as false and denied that Israel plans to attack Iran before the elections.

Katz noted, however, that Israel would respond with full force if Iran launches an attack, per Daily Times.

At Kibbutz Beeri, which was devastated during the Hamas invasion, many residents feel that the catastrophe must be investigated by a top-level commission that only a government led by a new Prime Minister would establish, according to The Times of Israel.

Brief written by urgent.news from France 24, CBS News, The Times of Israel, Daily Times — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.