THE WORLD, EXPLAINED.

Israel votes as Netanyahu faces a challenge from Eisenkot

Voting is under way; this brief reports no election result.

By Ayal · October 27, 2026

The Knesset building in Jerusalem, photographed in July 2022. Archival parliament photograph; not an image of voting, turnout or results on October 27, 2026. Clema12 / Knesset front side - 2022.jpg — CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Knesset_front_side_-_2022.jpg License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 Provider-sized copy; no content edits. Display may crop to fit cards.

Israelis voted on October 27 in their first national election since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack. AP described a close contest between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.

Voters choose parties, which negotiate governing alliances. A winning coalition and the next prime minister may not be settled immediately. This brief does not project a winner.