Story perspectives

Maariv Poll Shows Eisenkot Leads Netanyahu Ahead of Election

By Drooid · Oct 24, 2026, 8:00 AM UTC · How we work

Center

West Bank Lockdown

Israel will hold a general election on Tuesday 27 October 2026 to elect the 120-member Knesset.
A Maariv poll on 23 October shows IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot at 49 % versus Benjamin Netanyahu’s 41 %, and neither bloc reaching the 61 seats needed to govern.
Netanyahu’s coalition includes Religious Zionist and Jewish Power parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
After a Hebron checkpoint shooting killed two Israeli soldiers, Netanyahu ordered a West Bank lockdown.

Left

Racist Pundit Attack

Israel will hold a general election on Tuesday 27 October 2026 to elect the 120-member Knesset.
Public frustration mounts over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption allegations, perceived security failures, and fears the vote could entrench ultra-right policies that endanger democratic norms.
A conservative TV pundit called opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot a “Moroccan monkey,” prompting accusations of racism.
Authorities barred Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir from West Bank demolition, accusing him of exploiting images for campaign.

History

Historical Context

The 29 May 1996 Israeli election introduced a separate popular vote for prime minister, letting Benjamin Netanyahu defeat incumbent Shimon Peres by a 29,457-vote margin and form a government with only 32 Knesset seats—the smallest coalition ever. That fragmented coalition model resurfaced in the 27 October 2026 race, pitting Netanyahu’s Likud-Ben-Gvir-Smotrich bloc against Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition, and heightened concerns about democratic deadlock.

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West Bank Lockdown

Israel will hold a general election on Tuesday 27 October 2026 to elect the 120-member Knesset.
A Maariv poll on 23 October shows IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot at 49 % versus Benjamin Netanyahu’s 41 %, and neither bloc reaching the 61 seats needed to govern.
Netanyahu’s coalition includes Religious Zionist and Jewish Power parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
After a Hebron checkpoint shooting killed two Israeli soldiers, Netanyahu ordered a West Bank lockdown.

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