Israel prepares for first national election since October 2023 Hamas attack

Israel is scheduled to hold a national election on Tuesday, marking the country's first vote since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. CNN and Euronews both reported that the upcoming vote is widely viewed as a verdict on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. [1][3][4]

Campaign issues splitting voters focus on internal matters, including military draft exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox community and a stalled inquiry into the October 7 attack, Euronews reported. The report noted that the campaign has been largely quiet on how recent military actions were fought, despite broad support among Jewish Israelis for operations on several fronts. [1]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned that Iran and its allies might attempt to disrupt the vote, telling the nation not to test Israel, according to the South China Morning Post. The outlet also cited a report by Channel 12 stating that a confrontation had occurred between Netanyahu and army chief Eyal. Meanwhile, Fox News reported that Israel warned Iran through a massive military exercise as experts raised concerns over the risk of accidental war. [2][5]

The Hamas assault on October 7, 2023, killed 1,195 Israelis and foreign nationals and resulted in 251 hostages being taken. A subsequent Israeli offensive has killed tens of thousands of Palestinians in Gaza. As FTMQ News reported earlier, former defense minister Avigdor Lieberman called for a criminal investigation into Netanyahu ahead of the parliamentary election, while main challenger Gadi Eisenkot is also running for office. [10][13]