Israel heads to the polls as shift to the right dominates critical election
Israel heads to the polls on Tuesday in a closely contested election being described as one of the most important in its history, the first since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023.
The vote is the first since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023 and the subsequent genocidal war against Palestinians in Gaza, as well as a wider conflict that has seen Israel carry out attacks on Iran, Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Qatar.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, is seeking to extend his tenure after leading the country's most right-wing governing coalition which brought together far-right ultranationalists and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties.
Rightward Shift
Israel's shift to the right did not begin with Netanyahu's most recent government in 2022, but rather with the collapse of the peace process with Palestinians and repeated security crises over the past decades. This has systematically eroded the political center and left, giving rise to landmark legislative milestones such as the 2018 Nation-State Law, which formally enshrined Jewish supremacy.
Most analysts agree that the rightward drift accelerated under Netanyahu's latest government, which faced accusations of seeking to reshape the country. They point to attempts to strip the Supreme Court of its power to review government actions and the flouting of its rulings on conscripting the ultra-Orthodox minority.
Democracy at Stake
The stakes go beyond the names on the ballot and cut through to the very nature of Israel's future. Analysts say the election represents a choice between maintaining a functioning democracy or a democracy in name only.
A respect for process and the rule of law would likely return to government in the event of an opposition win, though any new government would still reflect Israel's sharp rightward turn after October 7.
The decision facing Israel of whether to retain a Netanyahu-led government or not is ultimately the decision on whether to live in a functioning democracy or a democracy in name only.
Palestinian Exclusion
What will not be on the ballot is any opportunity to challenge Israel's foreign and security policy that has underpinned the killing of more than 74,000 people in Gaza and increased violence across the West Bank.
None of the mainstream candidates have talked about including Arab-led parties in any potential coalition. In Israel's popular media, references to Palestinian politicians are typically used by rival candidates to denounce each other.
The distinction is not between democratic and anti-democratic forces, but between Jews and Palestinians. As long as there is no genuine binational political vision, racism and the systematic restriction of Palestinian rights will remain fundamental features of Israeli society.
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