Israel elections: Netanyahu's main rivals and how voting works

Israelis will vote on October 27 in their first national election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack, with polls predicting a defeat for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu despite his political survival skills. Netanyahu's main rivals include former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, surging in polls, and former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, who previously ousted him in 2021. Former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman, once an ally, is also a sharp critic. Israel's parliamentary system uses proportional representation with a 3.25% vote threshold, requiring coalition governments where small parties hold significant power. Party lists are due by September, so the landscape may shift before the vote.