Israelis Vote in Tight Race

Israelis went to the polls Tuesday to decide who will lead the country after three years of war. More than 7 million people are eligible to vote, and tens of thousands arrived from overseas to cast their ballots. The race is tight between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, according to opinion polls.

The Central Elections Committee reported that almost 17% of Israelis voted in the first three hours. That is the highest turnout for that time slot since 1981. In the northern border town of Kiryat Shmona, a Netanyahu stronghold, one man kicked and tore down a poster of Eisenkot as polls opened.

In Tel Aviv, families of those killed in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack or former hostages held a moment of silence before voting. Yona Adam, whose daughter Mapal Adam was killed, told the crowd to remember those whose voices are no more. Around 330,000 young Israelis facing compulsory military service are voting for the first time.

Eisenkot visited communities attacked on Oct. 7 early Tuesday. He said that if anyone in the government had a shred of responsibility, they would start the morning in those areas. Netanyahu had not been seen in public three hours after polls opened. Netanyahu’s supporters view him as a steady hand who has guided Israel through multiple wars. His detractors say he dragged out the war for political reasons and is undermining the judiciary.

Supporters of Eisenkot, whose son and two nephews were killed in Gaza, see him as a leader with strong security credentials. Parties backing him have vowed to conscript ultra-Orthodox men and improve Israel's international standing. Mansour Abbas, head of the Islamist Ra’am party, said his vote will change the government. He hoped turnout in Arab communities would surpass 70%.

Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national security minister, warned that if Netanyahu and his allies do not win, it will be Mansour Abbas’ government. Ben-Gvir has previously said some Palestinians in Gaza are not even people. Israel's Arab-led parties could emerge as kingmakers if they agree to support one candidate and other parties join forces with them.

Eisenkot's Yashar party filed an urgent complaint over nine incidents where ballot slips were missing, damaged, or turned over. The party suggested a systematic and deliberate sabotage attempt. Dean Livne, the acting director-general of the elections committee, said reports of irregularities were much lower than in previous elections.