Israel Elections 2026: Netanyahu battles Gadi Eisenkot amid Gaza war and Iran tensions

Israel is heading into a fiercely contested parliamentary election, with the latest opinion polls pointing to a potentially fractured Knesset and no clear path to a governing majority. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces a serious challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, whose Yashar party has led Likud in most recent surveys.The election, scheduled for October 27, comes at a volatile moment for Israel, amid tensions following the conflict with Iran and continued security concerns on the country’s borders. The final pre-election surveys published before the polling blackout showed Eisenkot’s party ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud in most polls. However, neither the incumbent’s coalition nor the opposition has consistently demonstrated a clear route to the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.