Israel is heading to the polls in what many consider the most important vote in the country's history, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing the fight of his political career. The election is expected to result in deadlock, as the race between Netanyahu's Likud party and the main opposition bloc Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, appears extremely tight.
Close to 70,000 Israelis are believed to be flying home to take part in the elections, as there is no postal vote. Exit polls are expected to emerge soon after Tuesday 10pm. A major security clampdown has been ordered throughout the country amid fears of growing unrest and ongoing military operations across the West Bank and the Gaza War.
Latest polling suggests Yashar may have an edge over Likud, although it is near-certain that neither party will win a majority sufficient to form a government.
Coalition talks loom as no clear majority expected
The winning party needs 61 seats to dominate the Knesset's 120 seats, prompting the need for coalition-wrangling after the vote. Neither bloc will be able to form a government based on projected results, with one poll suggesting Netanyahu's bloc will lose three seats, falling to 48 seats compared with 54 for the opposition bloc.
According to a Kantar poll, personal safety and national security are the most important issues, cited by 26 per cent of respondents, followed by the economy and the cost of living, cited by 23 per cent. It is believed any future majority government would have to rely on support from parts of either the opposing bloc or the Arab parties.
Security concerns and West Bank closure
Israel's military is preparing to close the West Bank on election day amid major security fears and growing settler-related unrest in the territory. Israel will close crossings with the West Bank on the day of the Knesset elections as troops continue a wide military operation in Hebron.
Netanyahu and his Likud Party face stiff opposition from military veteran Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar Party, which brandishes a calm 'non-politician' image.
The opposing blocs and their key figures
The pro-Netanyahu coalition led by Likud joins far-right, ultra-Orthodox, and conservative religious right parties. These include United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas, plus Otzma Yehudi and Religious Zionism-Zehut, led by far-right ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
The Likud Party campaign highlights military wins against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, plus the close working relationship between Netanyahu and Donald Trump. Critics point toward the October 7 attacks and the intelligence failures that led to them. Likud favours militarisation of Israel's borders and judiciary changes, but militarisation complicates its links to the ultra-Orthodox coalitions.
UTJ is a long-standing Haredi Jewish party and a loose ally of Netanyahu, with relations strained over its demand that ultra-Orthodox Jews be excluded from military service. Netanyahu has performed a precarious balancing act with them, criticising the arrest of draft-dodgers in his bid to maintain his thin majority.
Shas is another deeply conservative and ultra-Orthodox party, started to focus on the interests of Haredi Jews but which has grown considerably. Central to Shas's mission is the promotion of social justice and the economic welfare of its constituents, advocating for a society structured around Jewish religious law.
Otzma Yehudi is led by far-right security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, an illegal settler who is in charge of Israel's police and prison system. He has been behind draconian laws and a campaign to send Gazans abroad.
Religious Zionism-Zehut is led by Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the government's finance department. He is dedicated to the idea that the West Bank and Gaza Strip belong to the Jewish people. In 2006, he co-founded Regavim, an organisation that monitors and takes legal action against Palestinian land use.
The main opposition bloc comprises four Jewish-led opposition movements led by Yashar, which is led by former Israeli military chief Eisenkot. They are joined by the Democrats, led by former deputy military chief of staff Yair Golan, the Yisrael Beiteinu party, led by former Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman, and the Together alliance, led by former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and joined by Knesset opposition leader Yair Lapid.
Yashar combines a security-focused approach with promises to rebuild public trust and strengthen democratic institutions. It demands a probe into October 7, rebuilding affected communities, military or national service for all, stronger public education, and greater economic competition. Eisenkot also advocates a constitution and safeguards for an independent judiciary.
The Democrats, led by Golan, is a liberal Zionist party championing equality for citizens of Israel, including the LGBTQ community. It has pledged to fight organised crime and promote education.
Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Lieberman, is a right-wing party originally based on Russian secular immigrants but which has widened its base into Israeli society. It is tough on the peace process but recognises a two-state solution and wants to encourage immigration and 'aliyah'.
The Together Alliance, led by Bennett and Lapid, has competed with Yashar for the main opposition title and is merely part of the opposition bloc. This means they have not joined Yashar and are on a separate party list.
