Israel heads to polls with frontrunners aligned on Gaza strategy

Israeli voters head to the polls on Tuesday in an election widely viewed as a critical juncture for the nation's political future. While the stakes are high, the leading candidates share a striking consensus on foreign policy. No major contender has questioned the war in Gaza that began after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, nor the subsequent conflict with Iran. The primary distinction between the blocs lies in domestic governance rather than military strategy.

The election pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s hard-right government against a fragmented opposition coalition. The current administration operates with reduced judicial oversight, a condition Netanyahu has long championed. The opposing bloc promises a broadly similar policy agenda but intends to govern within existing legal frameworks, shedding what it describes as the more extreme elements of the current cabinet.

The question of a two-state solution remains largely unresolved across the ballot. Although Israel committed to this goal in the 1990s Oslo Accords, few leaders offer a clear path to realization. Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich of the Religious Zionist party has urged the next government to cancel the Oslo Accords and pursue sovereignty. He also supports encouraging migration from Gaza and the West Bank. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, stated that a leap to two states is impossible while Israeli society remains in trauma, advocating instead for civil separation.

Netanyahu has declared that there will be no Palestinian state, while Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party called the principle of two states for two peoples a mistake. The government faces accusations of supporting settler attacks in the West Bank and backing construction in occupied territory. These actions include the E1 settlement plan, which ministers say will effectively end the prospect of a separate Palestinian state.

The conscription of the ultra-Orthodox Haredi population has become a major domestic flashpoint. Netanyahu relies on the Shas and United Torah Judaism parties for support in the Knesset. These parties have demanded legislation to overturn a Supreme Court ruling from June 25, 2024, which shields ultra-Orthodox youth from mandatory service. After approximately 40 Haredim were arrested this month for avoiding conscription, Netanyahu described the arrests as a deliberate attempt to harm the drafting process.

Shas leader Aryeh Deri stated his party would not join a government unless the status of yeshiva students is regulated. Eisenkot framed the vote as a choice between Netanyahu’s draft-dodging government and his own coalition, which promises conscription. Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu called Netanyahu a hostage to draft evaders, highlighting the economic and human costs of the wars.

The judicial overhaul serves as another key point of contention. The current government passed measures to change judge appointments and stripped Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of many powers in July. These changes are set to take effect after the election. Bennett, co-leader of the Together alliance, pledged to cancel all legal revolution laws as soon as the Knesset convenes. Netanyahu argues the judiciary must not crush the Knesset, while Justice Minister Yariv Levin views the election as a chance to complete the overhaul.

Accountability for the October 7 attacks has dominated campaign rhetoric, even as the death of more than 74,000 people in Gaza has been absent from the main platforms. Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi resigned in January 2025 following inquiries into security failures. Shin Bet head Ronen Bar left in June of last year after a dispute with the prime minister. Eisenkot promised a State Commission of Inquiry, while Netanyahu’s proposed government-led inquiry has been deferred to the next Knesset session.