Israel votes in tight Netanyahu-Eisenkot contest as polls point to no bloc majority

Israel votes Tuesday, October 27, in a closely contested election pitting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against centrist rival Gadi Eisenkot, with final polls pointing to no governing majority for either political bloc, according to France 24 and Anadolu Agency.

Anadolu Agency reported ahead of the vote that Eisenkot's party held a narrow advantage over Netanyahu's Likud in the final polls. France 24 separately described Netanyahu and Eisenkot as running neck and neck, underscoring the closeness of the contest as Israelis head to the polls.

The polling advantage reported for Eisenkot's party did not extend to a projected governing majority for his bloc. Anadolu Agency said neither side was forecast to secure one. The size of the polling lead and the seat estimates underlying that assessment were not clear.

Millions of people are expected to cast ballots, according to Al Jazeera English. The broadcaster described the election as widely billed as the most consequential in Israel's history, though that characterisation was not attributed to named observers.

France 24 described Tuesday's vote as Israel's first election since the October 7, 2023 attack by Hamas. That places the electoral contest more than three years after the attack, with Netanyahu now facing the challenge from Eisenkot.

The election also follows three years of regional wars, according to France 24. The broadcaster characterised the vote as a referendum on Netanyahu, placing the prime minister's leadership at the centre of its account of the closely fought race.