Israel holds wartime national election as voters weigh Netanyahu's record

Israelis are voting in the country's first national election since Hamas's 7 October 2023 attack, in a contest widely seen as a verdict on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The campaign has unfolded against the backdrop of wars and military operations involving Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran, but the debate has focused more on Netanyahu's leadership than on the conflicts themselves. The vote comes after years of political and security upheaval, with reminders of the war still visible in public spaces across the country.

The main issues in the campaign have been Netanyahu's responsibility for the security failures of 7 October, his handling of the war in Gaza, and his 2023 attempt to overhaul the judiciary. The row over military exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men has also featured prominently, reflecting long-running tensions over conscription and manpower. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, around 68% of Jewish Israelis say their views on 7 October are central to how they will vote.

Among Arab citizens, the figure is 32%, with most naming crime as their main concern. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, has pointed to military gains against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran while blaming the security establishment for the failures of 7 October. His critics say he has avoided accountability by blocking an official state inquiry.

They also accuse him of delaying a hostage deal and failing to secure a decisive victory on any front. The election is therefore being watched not only as a domestic political test, but also as a measure of public confidence in the government's wartime strategy. The vote carries wider significance because Israel's military and diplomatic posture has been shaped by the conflicts that followed the 7 October attack.

The campaign has also highlighted the lack of consensus on the Palestinian question, with both main blocs dominated by parties that support Jewish settlement in the occupied West Bank and oppose a Palestinian state. No leading candidate is calling for a revival of the peace process, underscoring how far the political debate has shifted toward security, accountability and national resilience. The article's background points to a country still living with the consequences of the war, including the return of the last hostages under a ceasefire deal last year.

Stickers bearing the faces of fallen soldiers and fading yellow ribbons remain visible at train stations, reflecting the continuing emotional and political weight of the conflict. The election is also taking place amid broader questions about military service, as reservists have been called up repeatedly and the army faces a manpower shortage. Around 13,000 ultra-Orthodox men turn 18 each year, but fewer than one in ten enlist.

What remains unclear is how the vote will reshape coalition-building and whether any new government will alter Israel's approach to the wars and the domestic disputes that have defined the campaign. It is also not yet clear whether the election result will increase pressure for an official inquiry into the 7 October failures or change the debate over conscription. The outcome will be closely watched for its implications for Gaza, relations with neighbouring states and the future direction of Israeli politics.

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