Israel sets October 27 election, Netanyahu runs again
New polls put Gadi Eisenkot as the main challenger as support for Netanyahu weakens after the Gaza war.
Israel will hold a national election on October 27, the last date allowed under law, after the Knesset decided not to dissolve parliament early. The timing gives Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition a chance to complete a full four-year term for the first time in decades. Netanyahu, 76, has already said he will run again. The vote is seen as a major test of his leadership since the Gaza war erupted. Pressure on Netanyahu has come from criticism over security failures during the October 7, 2023 attack, disputes over compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox men, his judicial reform agenda and his still ongoing corruption trial. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the main rival, with a recent survey showing his party narrowly ahead of Likud.