Israel election: Polls show tight race ahead of Knesset vote

Israel's Knesset election on October 27 could prove decisive for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, with polls indicating a tight race between his right-religious bloc and a rival alliance led by former army chief Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu faces criticism over the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks and is the first sitting prime minister under judicial investigation. Polls project significant losses for his Likud party, with Eisenkot's newly formed Jaschar party leading in all recent surveys. Neither bloc is projected to reach the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, leaving 17 to 20 unaffiliated seats likely to determine the outcome. Netanyahu rejects coalition with Arab parties, while Eisenkot's alliance may have more options.