Elections are approaching in Israel: a change of government is possible
Parliamentary elections will be held in Israel on October 27. This is the first election following the events of October 7. No matter how impactful speeches Netanyahu delivers, he cannot be called a clear favorite. Among those with opposition sentiments toward the current government, there are candidates who have managed to defeat Netanyahu in elections.
Elections are approaching in Israel: a change of government is possible
It will not be an easy task for Netanyahu
Polls show that Netanyahu's party has a slight lead. This indicates that Israeli society does not unanimously support Netanyahu and his war campaign. The opposition's main grievance is that Netanyahu's government missed Hamas's October 7 attack. In their view, instead of preventing this horrific attack, taking the right measures in the initial minutes, and punishing those responsible, Netanyahu politicized the event and used it for his own interests. They believe the current government should be punished for failing to prevent the Hamas attack.
Netanyahu's main rival is Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of the "Yashar" party. This general was once the Chief of Staff of the Israeli army. In his campaign videos, Netanyahu emphasizes criticizing specifically him. From this, it is evident that the general will become the prime minister's main rival in the election.
Eisenkot previously supported a two-state solution for two peoples in the region, but after Hamas's October 7 attack, he stated that this issue was no longer up for discussion. That is, the Hamas attack changed his views on the necessity of creating a Palestinian state. If the general wins the election, he promises to put an end to Hamas rule in Gaza and restore Israel's international reputation.
In polls regarding which party to vote for, Netanyahu's party is ahead by a small margin, while in the poll asking "Who is worthy to be Prime Minister?", General Eisenkot has left Netanyahu far behind. However, this does not mean the election results will turn out exactly this way. The electoral system in Israel is completely different: here, a single party cannot win with a clear majority, as society is extremely diverse, making it impossible to control the parliament without forming a coalition.
Against Eisenkot's background, Netanyahu appears very radical. For example, Eisenkot says that Arabs in Israel should not be ignored, as Arabs constitute 20 percent of the country's population. Netanyahu and his supporters, on the other hand, view Arabs as radical and prone to terror, even if not openly. It is not difficult to understand this from their statements and actions.
Netanyahu has spent decades planning and building Jewish settlements continuously on Palestinian lands. Eisenkot, however, believes that building houses for Jews on Palestinian lands only worsens the situation. Netanyahu constantly speaks of war and wants to turn Israel into a fully militarized army fighting with Iran, Lebanon, Syria, and everyone around in general. Eisenkot, on the other hand, has always been an advocate for long-term peace.