Netanyahu has been the country’s most dominant politician for nearly two decades, and his legacy is on the line. A poor showing could end the 77-year-old’s lengthy career on a bitter note and open the door to a new era in Israeli politics. A victory would cement his image as the ultimate political survivor.
Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a onetime ally turned rival of Netanyahu, said there has never been so much at stake — from national security to the future of Israel’s democratic institutions and its standing in the world.
Netanyahu's opponents, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, see Tuesday as a day of reckoning. They say Netanyahu should be held accountable for Oct. 7 and the failure to turn battlefield victories into diplomatic achievements.
Netanyahu’s supporters say he was betrayed by Israel’s defense establishment and that he has led the country through a remarkable turnaround with devastating strikes against Hamas, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and Iran.
The Oct. 7 attack, which came after decades of conflict and four previous wars with Hamas, convinced many Israelis there was no partner for peace, while Netanyahu and his allies have largely succeeded in branding the Israeli left as weak or even traitorous.
