Israeli Opposition Mobilizes Voters to Challenge Netanyahu’s Leadership
Voting opened at 7 am local time (0500GMT) and was scheduled to continue until 10 pm (2000GMT).
Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the opposition Yisrael Beiteinu party and a former defense minister, urged Israelis to cast their ballots to bring Netanyahu’s political era to a close.
“Vote. Let’s put an end to the Netanyahu era and the rule of the Haredim,” Lieberman wrote on X, referring to ultra-Orthodox Jewish religious groups.
Netanyahu has led Israel’s current right-wing government since late December 2022. His administration has been described as the most far-right in the country’s history.
Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the opposition Yashar party and a former military chief of staff, also called for political change, arguing that his party needed to emerge as the largest political force in the country to replace Netanyahu.
“There is only one path to achieving change and replacing Netanyahu, and that is the Yashar path,” Eisenkot wrote on X.
He stressed that winning the largest share of parliamentary representation was essential for his party to achieve its political objectives and bring about a change in government.
Despite their political differences, both Eisenkot and Netanyahu oppose the establishment of a Palestinian state, despite United Nations resolutions supporting a two-state solution.
Gilad Kariv, a lawmaker from the opposition Democrats party, separately encouraged voters to participate, describing the election as an opportunity to turn years of political opposition into electoral change.
“Today, we are taking the struggle we have waged over the past four years to the ballot box,” Kariv wrote on X.
He described Election Day as “the beginning of four years of hope.”
Kariv also warned that Netanyahu and his allies could seek to undermine confidence in the electoral process by circulating misinformation and misleading claims during the voting period.
“In the coming hours, Netanyahu and his associates will flood you with fake news and misleading messages in an attempt to undermine the elections by spreading lies and illusions,” he said.
“Our response must be a massive turnout at the polls,” he added.
The election is considered a major test of Netanyahu’s political future. The 76-year-old prime minister is standing trial on corruption charges, including bribery, fraud and breach of trust, which could lead to imprisonment if he is convicted.
Netanyahu has also been subject to an International Criminal Court arrest warrant since 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity connected to Israel’s military campaign in the Gaza Strip.
More than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 2023, according to the figures cited in the report.
The opposition’s appeals reflect the importance political leaders have placed on voter participation as they compete for parliamentary support. The election will help determine the composition of Israel’s next government and shape the country’s political direction in the coming years.
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