Israeli Election 2026: Six Challengers Face Netanyahu

Israel held legislative elections on Tuesday, October 27, 2026, with six political figures challenging Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right allies. The vote pits familiar faces and newcomers against the incumbent in a tightly contested race. Former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, 66, emerged as Netanyahu's principal rival, with polls showing them neck-and-neck. The center-right candidate, who lost his son and two nephews in the Gaza war, opposes Palestinian statehood and promises to topple Hamas in 18 months. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, 54, leads the center-right Beyahad party in third place, while ex-TV presenter Yair Lapid, 62, heads the centrist Yesh Atid party. Other contenders include veteran politician Avigdor Lieberman, 68, leading the secular nationalist Israel Beiteinu; Mansour Abbas of the Arab Raam party, who could become kingmaker; and Yair Golan of the left-wing Democrats, the last major figure supporting a two-state solution.