Israel Votes as Netanyahu Faces Close Challenge and Iran Dispute

Israelis voted Tuesday in a closely contested general election that could end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long tenure, with final opinion polls indicating neither his governing bloc nor the opposition was likely to secure the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition includes far-right and religious parties, while former army chief Gadi Eisenkot leads the main opposition bloc. Eisenkot urged voters to replace what he called “the worst government” in Israel’s history. Unaligned groups, including Arab parties and the new Reservists party, could influence coalition negotiations if the result is inconclusive.

The final campaign hours were dominated by security and Iran. Netanyahu posted an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv and warned of catastrophic consequences if Iran obtained nuclear weapons. Eisenkot accused him of using “lies and scare tactics.”

Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz also denied a Channel 12 report that military chief Eyal Zamir had resisted an unspecified directive concerning Iran and sought detailed discussion, legal guarantees and signed political authorization. Netanyahu called the report “rubbish,” while Katz said there was complete coordination with the military and no intention to attack Iran before the election.

Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas separately accused Netanyahu of incitement after the prime minister alleged electoral fraud involving the Palestinian-led party. Abbas said the claims were intended to frighten and mobilize right-wing voters.