Israel’s pivotal election tests Netanyahu’s leadership

Israelis vote Tuesday in what many call one of the most consequential elections in the country’s 78-year history, the first since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas assault that triggered the Gaza war, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a tight race. The election uses nationwide proportional representation for the 120-seat Knesset, with parties needing 3.25% of votes to enter parliament; about 10 parties are expected to clear this threshold, and official results are due by Nov. 4. No party has ever won a majority, so coalition negotiations follow, with President Isaac Herzog assigning a candidate up to 28 days to form a government; historically, this process has taken 20 to 100 days, and the vote is seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership against challenger Gadi Eisenkot.