Israelis are voting in a crucial parliamentary election on Tuesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin

facing a major test of his leadership amid unresolved conflicts, divisions over the country's future and growing international criticism of its conduct in Gaza.

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, is seeking to retain power against a group of parties hoping to unseat him, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot.

The election is the country's first national vote since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attack that triggered the war in Gaza and related regional conflicts.

The election has also been clouded by allegations of missing, damaged and defaced ballot slips. Several parties reported irregularities at polling stations, prompting concerns about election integrity. However, the CEC said there was no evidence of systematic ballot tampering.

1. Netanyahu faces a crucial test

The election is a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership and the direction Israel should take, with voters divided over security, military conscription, judicial independence and the country's international standing.

Netanyahu's supporters see him as an experienced leader who has guided Israel through multiple wars and defended its Jewish identity.

His critics accuse him of prolonging the war in Gaza and the hostage crisis for political reasons, weakening judicial independence and allowing ultra-Orthodox religious men to avoid compulsory military service.

“The present government is driving the country into the ground,” voter Angela Bengur said in Jerusalem, the Associated Press reported.

Eisenkot's supporters see him as a leader with strong security credentials who could improve Israel's international standing and strengthen democratic institutions. His personal losses during the Gaza war have also shaped his public image: his son and two nephews were killed while fighting in Gaza.

The campaign has been dominated by security concerns and the October 7 attack, in which nearly 1,200 people were killed and 251 were taken hostage to Gaza, according to the figures cited in the supplied reports.

The opposition has criticised Netanyahu over the security failures that preceded the attack, while his supporters have emphasised his experience in handling regional threats.

2. Voter turnout reaches record levels

Turnout in Israel's parliamentary election has risen sharply throughout Tuesday, reaching levels not seen at comparable times in previous elections.

According to the CEC, 31.5% of eligible voters had cast their ballots by noon, the highest turnout recorded at that hour since 1973,

reported. The participation rate continued to climb through the afternoon. By 4 pm, turnout had reached 55.7%.

Voter turnout has reached record levels, with 66.7% of eligible voters casting their ballots by 6 pm local time, according to the Central Elections Committee (CEC). The figure was significantly higher than the 57.7% recorded at the same time during the 2022 election.

Polling is scheduled to continue until 10 pm local time, although some stations have different operating hours.

The strong turnout reflects intense public interest in an election that could reshape Israel's political landscape. Around 330,000 young Israelis are eligible to vote for the first time.

Turnout among Israel Defense Forces (IDF) personnel has also been high. The military reported that more than 68% of soldiers had voted by 5 pm, compared with 65% at the same stage of the 2022 election.

3. Netanyahu warns of Arab-backed government as Arab-led parties eye key role

Arab-led parties could play a decisive role in government formation if the rival political blocs fail to secure a majority.

Netanyahu urged Likud supporters to vote in large numbers, warning that the country's future was at stake.

“This is an emergency call to Likud voters! Today no one stays home. No sea, no barbecue. Making sure that the family, friends, and neighbors also get to the polling station,” he wrote on X, sharing a video.

“The future of our Jewish state is on the line: a strong right-wing government or a left-wing government supported by the Arab parties. Going out to vote with all our might!” he added.

In another post, Netanyahu said buses were heading to polling stations and long queues were being reported in Arab communities, while right-wing strongholds had yet to see a comparable turnout.

“If we don't go out to vote now, we'll find ourselves with a government of the Arab parties. We must not stay home. Every vote counts! Going out now to vote - Machal, Likud,” he wrote.

Arab citizens account for around one-fifth of Israel's population. Their participation could prove significant in a close election, particularly if neither of the main political blocs can assemble a majority independently.

Arab voter turnout is expected to be substantially higher than in 2022, when it was just over 50%. Pollsters have projected participation of up to 70% in Arab communities.

The two main Arab-led political groups: Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party and the Joint List, led by Yousef Jabareen in the supplied report, could influence the balance of power. Although most leading Jewish parties have ruled out formal cooperation with Arab-led parties, they could still provide parliamentary support from outside a governing coalition.

Earlier this month, Jabareen said his party was willing to act as a “safety net” to help remove Netanyahu from power. “Our vote will change the government,” Abbas said after casting his ballot, adding that he hoped turnout in Arab communities would exceed 70%.

“This is essential to changing our situation and addressing the problems we face as an Arab community, such as violence, crime, home demolitions, fines, racism, and incitement,” Abbas said, CNN reported.

“The vote is an important tool for changing the political situation. A government that came to power through the ballot box can be removed through the ballot box.”

However, cooperation with Arab-led parties remains contentious among right-wing politicians. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned that “it will be Mansour Abbas’ government” if Netanyahu and his allies fail to secure a victory.

4. Yashar party alleges ballot tampering

Allegations of ballot irregularities have added another layer of tension to election day.

Eisenkot's Yashar party filed a complaint with the CEC after receiving reports that ballot slips bearing its designated voting symbol, “Derech”, were missing, damaged or defaced at polling stations.

The party said it had received complaints from several locations about ballot slips being removed, marked with pens or turned over inside voting booths. Such incidents could potentially lead to votes being disqualified.

“After Likud's fake news campaign, we received numerous complaints about our ballot slips being defaced or removed,” party chairman Yoaz Hendel said,

reported.

The party described the alleged incidents as a possible attempt to disrupt its vote and undermine election integrity.

“Anyone who tries to steal ballot slips is trying to steal the election. This is a serious violation of election integrity and the fundamental right of Israeli citizens to vote,” the party said.

Other leading parties also reported alleged irregularities at polling stations. However, the CEC said there was no evidence of systematic tampering with ballot slips. The allegations had not been independently established in the information available at the time of reporting.

Separately, Talal al-Karnaw, mayor of the Bedouin city of Rahat in southern Israel, told

that power outages had affected some polling stations and neighbourhoods, creating what he described as a “serious problem” for voters.

5. Eisenkot visits October 7-hit community before voting

Eisenkot began election day by visiting Kibbutz Nir Oz, one of the communities hardest hit by the Hamas-led October 7 attack.

He walked alongside former hostage Gadi Mozes towards his polling booth before leaving to cast his own vote elsewhere.

“I am proud and moved to begin this day with Gadi Mozes, a symbol of the Israeli spirit and strength, of Israelis’ commitment to one another and their commitment to the state. I pledge to do everything I can to ensure that we are worthy of the price you paid, the price the kibbutz paid and the price we all paid, and to bring healing and repair to all citizens of Israel,” Eisenkot told reporters.

Mozes spent 482 days in Hamas captivity and campaigned for Eisenkot, according to

.

Eisenkot also criticised the government for not beginning election day in communities attacked on October 7.

“If someone in the government had a shred of responsibility, they would start the morning here in the Gaza envelope,” he said.

In Tel Aviv, families of people killed during the October 7 attack and former hostages observed a moment of silence.

6. President Herzog calls election a 'holiday of democracy'

President Isaac Herzog urged Israelis to participate in the election, describing it as an opportunity for citizens to influence the country's future.

“It is a real holiday of democracy, and no one can be allowed to ruin it — quite the opposite, this is our opportunity, all of us, to influence our fate, the fate of our children, and the fate of our grandchildren. It is something that is deeply embedded inside of our spirit, as a very democratic nation,”

reported him as saying.

“We are putting different slips in the ballot, and we are expressing different opinions, in the end we have a common fate. A common fate in this land, a common fate in our beloved country, and this election process is another way to express our love for our country,” Herzog added.

7. Israel deploys 100,000 personnel for election day

Israel has mounted a large logistical operation for the parliamentary election, with around 100,000 personnel, including election officials and workers, deployed across the country.

Acting director general of the CEC Dean Livne said around 50,000 election workers had received training at approximately 2,140 venues.

The committee prepared 12,018 polling stations, 18,000 ballot boxes, 12 million voting envelopes and 250 tonnes of paper for ballot materials. It also established 6,209 accessible polling stations.

Special voting arrangements were made for more than 600,000 people who might be unable to vote at their designated polling stations, including soldiers, diplomats and hospitalised voters. These voters can use an outer-envelope system, with checks intended to prevent duplicate voting.

Authorities also arranged free travel on 660 intercity public transport routes, including Israel Railways services, to help voters reach polling stations. Around 690 million shekels, or approximately $223 million, was allocated for the election.

The CEC deployed around 15,000 cameras for electoral integrity inspectors to monitor polling stations and document voting and counting. The system is intended to protect ballot secrecy and help inspectors identify attempts to pressure or influence voters.

8. How Israel's electoral system works

Israel is a parliamentary democracy in which voters elect lawmakers rather than directly choosing the prime minister. The government must retain the confidence of the Knesset to remain in power.

The country uses proportional representation. Voters choose a party list, and the 120 seats in the Knesset are distributed broadly in proportion to the votes received by parties that cross the electoral threshold.

Unlike many parliamentary democracies, Israel treats the entire country as a single constituency rather than dividing it into geographic electoral districts. This allows smaller parties representing religious, political and ethnic communities to win parliamentary representation.

Parties must receive at least 3.25% of valid votes to enter the Knesset. The system often produces fragmented parliaments in which no single party wins an outright majority, making coalition negotiations central to government formation.

9. What happens after the votes are counted?

After the results are finalised, President Herzog will consult the leaders of the elected parties before assigning a lawmaker the task of forming a government.

The person chosen does not necessarily have to lead the largest party. The key consideration is who appears most likely to assemble a coalition with sufficient parliamentary support.

The designated lawmaker will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. If the attempt fails, another lawmaker may be given 28 days to try.

If that effort also fails, at least 61 lawmakers can request that the president assign the task to a particular member of the Knesset within a further 21-day period.

A new government must win a confidence vote in parliament. A minority government may also take office if it receives more votes in favour than against, even without the backing of 61 lawmakers.

The process could take weeks, leaving the identity of Israel's next prime minister uncertain even after the election results emerge. If all attempts to form a government fail, the country could face another election, with Netanyahu remaining caretaker prime minister until a new government takes office.

10. Iran tensions remain in the background

The election is taking place amid continuing tensions with Iran and international criticism of Israel's military operations in Gaza and the occupied West Bank.

Netanyahu warned that Iran would face “a devastating blow” if it attacked Israel, keeping security and regional threats at the centre of the campaign.

The election is also unfolding against a backdrop of strained international relations, including declining public support for Israel in the United States and sanctions imposed by some European and other partners.