Benjamin Netanyahu faces tough general election challenge from opposition

Israeli voters are preparing for a general election on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a major challenge to his leadership. The Guardian reported that former general Gadi Eisenkot has emerged as the primary opposition candidate aiming to replace Netanyahu. NBC News and The Telegraph both report that thousands of voters are traveling back to Israel to cast their ballots. [1][3][8][9]

Netanyahu has served as prime minister on and off for 19 of the last 30 years, according to the Guardian. He is seeking to extend his tenure amid growing economic and political pressure ahead of the vote. [1]

Ahead of the vote, Netanyahu addressed potential international isolation facing the country. The Times of Israel and Haaretz both reported that Netanyahu warned Israel should prepare for potential global banking sanctions and suggested using cryptocurrency or blockchain technology to bypass them. Anadolu Ajansı separately reported that Netanyahu said an end to United States military assistance to Israel is only a matter of time. [2][4][5][6]

As FTMQ News reported earlier, Israel is scheduled to hold its general election, where no single political party is expected to win the 61 seats needed for an absolute majority in the 120-seat Knesset. [14]