Netanyahu’s political survival on the line as Israel votes

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a critical election in Israel on Tuesday, with voters weighing his leadership in the aftermath of the 2023 Hamas-led attacks, wars in Gaza and with Iran, and Israel's growing international isolation. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving leader with 19 years in office, is campaigning on his wartime leadership and his alliance with US President Donald Trump, who has endorsed him and joined Israel in waging war on Iran.

However, Netanyahu is up against a formidable challenge, with opinion polls showing a close race between his Likud party and its right-wing allies and a rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff with supporters on the right and in the center. If neither candidate can form a governing coalition in the 120-seat parliament, Netanyahu could potentially remain as caretaker until another election is held next year.

Brief written by urgent.news from Free Malaysia Today's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.