Israelis are heading to the polls today in a general election that has been widely framed around one question, whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continues in office or not. Coverage of the race has summed up the dynamic simply as a choice between yes Bibi or no Bibi, a reference to Netanyahu's longtime nickname.
Netanyahu has led Israel for most of the past two decades, governing through periods of major regional upheaval, including the war in Gaza that began in 2023 following the October 7 attacks that year, and the diplomacy that has followed since. His chief rival in this election is Gadi Eisenkot, a former Israeli military chief of staff who later entered politics and has built a following in the years since leaving the armed forces, positioning himself as a leading alternative to the long serving prime minister.
Campaign advertising in the closing days has centered heavily on the two men, with billboards and ads across the country placing Netanyahu and Eisenkot side by side as the defining contrast of the vote, a reflection of how personalized Israeli politics has become around Netanyahu's tenure. Israel's parliamentary system means the outcome will depend not just on which party wins the most seats, but on which leader can assemble a governing coalition out of a fragmented field of parties afterward, a process that can take weeks of negotiation.
The election comes at a consequential moment for Israel, following years of war and diplomacy in the region. The result is expected to shape the country's approach to security policy, coalition politics, and its relationships with neighbors and allies in the period ahead, regardless of which leader ultimately forms the next government.
Initial results and exit polls are expected shortly after polls close, though final seat counts and coalition negotiations could take considerably longer to resolve.
Who is Gadi Eisenkot?
He is a former chief of staff of the Israeli military who has since entered politics and is running as a leading challenger to Prime Minister Netanyahu.
When will we know who won?
Initial results typically come shortly after polls close, but because Israel uses a coalition system, forming a government can take weeks after the vote.