Israelis began voting Tuesday in an election that pits deep war fatigue against heightened security fears, three years after the latest round of the Gaza conflict.
A bloc of parties led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot won 53 seats in Israel's 120-member parliament, ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc with 50 seats, according to an exit poll released Tuesday night by Israel's public broadcaster Kan.
Neither camp is expected to secure the 61 seats needed for an outright majority in the 120-member Knesset, potentially leading to weeks of coalition negotiations after the election.
A total of 7,331,981 Israelis are eligible to vote at 12,018 polling stations across the country, according to the Central Elections Committee, which oversees the election. Thirty-six party lists are competing.
The election, Israel's first since the Hamas-led attack on Oct 7, 2023, is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership, with voters divided over his handling of the wars, security failures, and the country's future direction.
According to Israeli media, the ruling camp played to its right-wing base by talking up external security threats and striking a tough posture, aiming to sharpen a sense of crisis among its supporters.
The opposition, for its part, kept the spotlight on the security failures that preceded the war, demanding the government answer for them.
Outside polling stations, voters raised their own concerns about government accountability, the burden of military service and the country's direction.
"What is really important is to have a government, a leader and ministers that will take responsibility for what happens in this country. And we still have not had an investigation to understand what happened and what we need to do to avoid it," said Dania, a voter.
Three years of war have taken a toll on Israel's economy, and the repeated call-up of skilled workers has left some voters worried about what the country will look like down the road.
At the same time, the government's hard line on the region's core disputes has left Israel more isolated than at any point in decades, prompting some to ask whether military pressure alone can secure either lasting safety or economic growth.
"Israel is facing a huge challenge in the economy. With all the bans that come from outside of Israel - from other countries - we need to deal with foreign affairs, fix our relationship with the world," said voter Moti.
On the big security questions, the main blocs are not far apart. Analysts have noted that they are committed to the same broad positions on the issues of Palestine and Iran, so a change of government would do little to lower the temperature in the Middle East any time soon.
Among ordinary Israelis, though, the mood is quite different. A growing number of Israelis are calling for an end to the fighting and a return to normal life, and they are hoping the country can find a way out of its political and diplomatic deadlock.
"I want peace. I don't want to see war. There's been so much violence over the past 20 years and longer, and I'm tired. This is not what I signed up for. This is not what I want. I understand that, it's a difficult situation here, but at a certain point there is too much killing with no end," said Solomon, another voter.
Israelis vote in close election as war fatigue, security fears collide
Israelis vote in close election as war fatigue, security fears collide
Israelis vote in close election as war fatigue, security fears collide
