Israel elections: Can Arab parties turn votes into power this time?

TEL AVIV, Oct 27 — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concluded his campaign to retain his position on Monday, asserting that Israel could face annihilation by Iran if his rivals were elected. As the race remains close, Netanyahu has heavily emphasized his security accomplishments, promising to "finish the job" against Tehran and branding his main rival, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, as accommodating towards Israel's enemy.

Eisenkot, in response, accused Netanyahu of using security concerns for political gains and pointed out the potential conflict between him and army officials. In a statement to Channel 14, Netanyahu warned that only the removal of Tehran's "fanatical, zealous regime" could ensure Israel's future. He also reiterated his claims that US President Donald Trump, a close ally, affirmed in 2025 and this year, that Israel had decimated Iran's capabilities through bombing campaigns.

However, reports suggest tensions between Netanyahu and army chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir over a new directive regarding Iran, with Zamir reportedly demanding legal assurances before executing the order. The premier has denied these allegations, with Defense Minister Israel Katz claiming that claims of a rift between the military and political leadership were "entirely baseless and false."

Opposition leader Avigdor Lieberman, a former minister of defence, called for an investigation into Netanyahu, alleging that the attempt to drag Israel into war before elections constitutes treason against the state. The election, the first since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, has seen opposition figures from various political spectrums rally behind Eisenkot, who leads in recent polls.