Last Updated on October 27, 2026 8:56 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
AMN/ WEB DESK
Voting is underway across Israel in a high-stakes parliamentary election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a strong challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot and other opposition leaders. Over seventy-three lakh thirty one thousand voters are expected to cast their ballots to elect the 26th Knesset, Israel’s parliament. Polling stations opened at 9:30 am Indian Standard Time, and are scheduled to remain open until 12:30 am IST tonight.
Exit polls are expected to provide the first indication of the election outcome shortly after voting ends. After the ballots are counted, the final results are expected to become available by 30th of this month with the results scheduled to be formally published on 4th of November.
The election comes amid mounting scrutiny of Prime Minister Netanyahu’s leadership following the Hamas-led October 7 attack in 2023 and the wars that followed. 77 year old Netanyahu has served as Israel’s Prime Minister for more than 19 years across several terms. He is seeking to retain power as opposition leaders focus their campaigns on national security, accountability and the government’s handling of the failures surrounding the October 7 attack.
Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and one of Netanyahu’s main challengers in his campaign has portrayed Prime Minister Netanyahu’s continued leadership as a threat to Israel’s security, arguing that a change of government is necessary to restore public trust and ensure accountability. Mr Netanyahu, meanwhile, has sought to shift the focus towards the political makeup of a possible opposition-led government. The prime minister has portrayed his rivals as a left-leaning bloc that could depend on Arab parties to secure a parliamentary majority.
Israel follows a system of proportional representation, under which voters choose political parties rather than directly electing a Prime Minister. The Knesset, Israel’s parliament, has 120 seats. A party or coalition therefore needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers to secure a parliamentary majority. Political parties must receive at least 3.25 per cent of the national vote to enter parliament. Seats are then allocated to qualifying parties broadly in proportion to their share of the vote.
After the publication of results, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will then consult the leaders of the elected parties before deciding which lawmaker has the best chance of forming a government. The designated candidate will initially have 28 days to assemble a governing coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. The election outcome will determine whether Netanyahu can secure another term or whether the opposition can unite behind an alternative government.