74,000 Gaza Deaths Mark Israel's Election on Court Power
Voters decide Tuesday whether to keep Netanyahu's judicial reforms or reverse them, while top rivals agree on war strategy.
By Olivia Reed ·
More than 74,000 people have been killed in Gaza since the war began, a toll that sits prominently in the background of Tuesday's election. Israeli voters head to the polls to decide the next government, a contest frequently called the most consequential in the nation's history. Despite the high stakes, the leading candidates show little difference on the war itself.
No major contender has challenged the campaign launched after the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack or the subsequent conflict with Iran. The frontrunners also offer vague paths toward a two-state solution. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised there will be no Palestinian state. His rival, Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party, called the principle of two states a mistake.
The primary split is domestic. Netanyahu leads a hard-right coalition that operates with reduced judicial oversight. His opponents form a loose alliance promising similar policy goals but stricter adherence to existing laws. The election serves as a referendum on the government's 2022 plan to curb court power, a move that sparked months of mass protests in 2023.
The coalition recently passed measures changing judge appointments and stripping Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara of key powers. These laws take effect after the vote. The opposition has vowed to reverse them immediately. Justice Minister Yariv Levin calls the election a historic chance to finish the judicial overhaul, while critics view it as a power grab by a prime minister facing corruption trials.
Conscription of the ultra-Orthodox community is another major flashpoint. Netanyahu relies on Haredi parties for Knesset support, and they demand legislation to shield their youth from the draft. After about 40 people were arrested this month for avoiding conscription, Netanyahu called the arrests a deliberate attempt to harm the process. Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beiteinu described Netanyahu as a hostage to draft evaders.
Accountability for the October 7 failures has dominated the campaign. Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi resigned in January 2025, and Shin Bet head Ronen Bar left in June 2025. No comparable inquiry has examined Netanyahu's role. He told the Knesset his government wants an inquiry with broad public support, while Eisenkot promised a State Commission of Inquiry.
Source: Al Jazeera
