The election scheduled for Tuesday is being characterized as particularly significant for Israel’s future, though leading candidates demonstrate substantial agreement on several major foreign policy questions. Notably, none of the frontrunners have questioned the military operations conducted in Gaza following the attack of October 7, 2023, or subsequent conflicts, including those involving Iran. Similarly, most candidates have not presented concrete proposals for establishing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as originally envisaged during the 1990s, nor have they outlined pathways toward equitable arrangements with Palestinians in occupied territories.
The substantive electoral divisions instead focus primarily on Israel’s domestic political landscape and the nation’s internal character. The contest essentially presents voters with a choice between the current hard-right government led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, operating without judicial constraints that he has criticized, and an opposition coalition proposing largely comparable policy positions but implemented within legal frameworks and without the most extreme coalition members.
A distinctive domestic issue gaining prominence is military conscription for the growing ultra-Orthodox population. As military engagements have escalated human and economic costs, this question has become increasingly central to political debate. Netanyahu has maintained parliamentary support through agreements with major Haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, which have demanded legislation protecting ultra-Orthodox individuals from draft obligations following a June 25, 2024 Supreme Court ruling.
Judicial authority has also emerged as a defining campaign issue. The current government has implemented measures restructuring judicial appointment processes and has stripped the Attorney General of significant powers. These changes, combined with a boycott of the Chief Justice, have prompted opposition accusations of democratic erosion. The government characterizes the election as an opportunity to complete judicial reforms.
Security accountability has dominated campaign discussions, particularly regarding the 2023 attack. These inquiries prompted the resignation of the Chief of Staff in January 2025 and the Shin Bet head in June of the previous year. However, investigations into potential government-level security lapses preceding the attack have not materialized, despite reports of advance warnings from regional governments.
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