Israel's knife-edge election could reshape Middle East politics

Israel's election is on a knife-edge, with polls showing incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition nearly level with the opposition, potentially ending his nearly 30-year dominance in Middle East politics. The vote is widely seen as the most consequential in recent history. The Knesset has 120 seats, requiring a 61-seat majority to form a government, with 38 parties contesting but most failing to pass the 3.25% threshold. Netanyahu's main rival is former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, whose centrist Yashar party is predicted to be the largest, while other opponents include former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid. The election serves as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership following the October 7 attacks, which killed about 1,200 Israelis, and the ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran. Netanyahu faces corruption charges, while opposition parties promise inquiries into security failures, and the creation of a Palestinian state has largely fallen off the agenda among major Jewish-led parties.