Israel's election tests Netanyahu's war leadership

Israelis vote Tuesday in the first general election since Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks, a contest widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his handling of the ensuing wars in Gaza and Iran. The vote uses proportional representation for the 120-seat Knesset, with parties needing 3.25% of the vote to enter. Recent polls show Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc and the centrist opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot both short of the 61 seats needed to govern, making smaller parties potentially decisive in coalition talks. The campaign is dominated by security, military conscription disputes, and economic strain from high defense spending. Analysts say a new anti-Netanyahu coalition would likely review strategy toward Iran and take a more conciliatory stance on Gaza and West Bank settlement violence, though major foreign policy shifts are considered unlikely.