Extreme uncertainty is currently shrouding the streets of Jerusalem\nahead of the general election to be held in less than a month. This\ncontest is believed to be a crucial turning point for Israel, which has\nchanged drastically following the 7 October 2023 attacks and the bloody\nbattles lasting nearly three years in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.<\/p>\n
Quoting The Guardian on Thursday (1\/10\/2026), the country\u2019s political\nstruggle remains on the brink. For over two years, most polls have\nconsistently predicted that the party coalition led by Prime Minister\nBenjamin Netanyahu will drop below the 61-seat Knesset threshold\nrequired to form a new government.<\/p>\n
However, there is no smooth path to power for his main opponent,\nformer IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot. A recent Channel 13 poll last\nweek recorded an extreme deadlock: anti-Netanyahu parties are projected\nto win 52 seats, against 51 seats for the Prime Minister\u2019s bloc, with\nboth failing to reach the 61-seat majority.<\/p>\n
Eisenkot\u2019s Yashar party leads the polls with 22 seats, while\nNetanyahu\u2019s Likud party is projected to garner only 18 seats. Eisenkot\u2019s\nprogress is hindered because he firmly refuses to form a coalition with\nparties representing Palestinian citizens in Israel, which are projected\nto secure 12 crucial seats. As a result, a highly fragmented parliament\nappears likely to recur.<\/p>\n
Public Anger & Economic Storm<\/p>\n
A sense of pessimism and doubt is now palpable among the public.\nPublic trust in state institutions has plummeted to 34% in 2025,\ncompared to 61% in 2012. The 7 October tragedy is believed to be the\nheaviest burden for the incumbent, with 68% of Jewish respondents citing\nit as the deciding factor for their vote.<\/p>\n
Ilda, a shop owner on Jaffa Road, demands full accountability from\nthe government, especially following a Haaretz investigation claiming\nNetanyahu was warned about the potential Hamas attack.<\/p>\n
\u201cAfter 7 October, everyone in this government must be held\nresponsible,\u201d she asserted. \u201cAfter journalists revealed what happened,\nlook at what they did: they attacked the journalists instead of taking\nresponsibility.\u201d<\/p>\n
This dissatisfaction has also extended to basic necessities. Amidst\nregional conflict and disrupted supply chains, fresh food prices in\nIsrael have surged by 9.5% over the last two years. Turgeman, a resident\nrelaxing in Jaffa, admitted to being fed up with the current regime\u2019s\npro-war policies that ignore the economic crisis.<\/p>\n
\u201cI will vote for anyone except the Prime Minister of 7 October,\u201d said\nTurgeman. \u201cWe need a normal Prime Minister, someone who also cares about\nthe economy and the prices that are skyrocketing due to the war.\u201d<\/p>\n
Conscription Calamity & The Blocking of Arab Parties<\/p>\n
Netanyahu\u2019s position is further squeezed after the Supreme Court\ndecided in 2024 to abolish the military service exemption for\nultra-Orthodox (Haredi) men. This ruling sparked anti-conscription\nprotests, road closures, and clashes with police. Young Haredim are now\nexpressing their anger towards Netanyahu for failing to pass legislation\nprotecting their exemption rights.<\/p>\n
Pinchas, an ultra-Orthodox student, believes this dynamic will\nencourage his generation to defy the instructions of rabbis when\nvoting.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll the choices in this election are rubbish, but I think I will\nvote for Eisenkot,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
On the other hand, Eisenkot\u2019s path to ousting Netanyahu is threatened\nafter the Central Elections Committee voted last week to ban Ra\u2019am and\nthe Joint List, two major Palestinian parties in the country, from\nparticipating in the election.<\/p>\n
This controversial ban was triggered by a petition from the extreme\nright-wing party Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben-Gvir, which accuses\nthe Arab parties of supporting terrorism. A counter-petition from the\nDemocratic party to ban Otzma Yehudit for inciting racism was flatly\nrejected.<\/p>\n
The fate of this ban now rests with the Supreme Court. If the Arab\nparties are permitted to run, they will become the key deciders for\nEisenkot\u2019s prospects of forming a government. For Amir, an Arab-Israeli\nfrom Mashhad, this political participation is the only instrument to\ncombat systemic racism following 7 October.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis election is about our strength as an Arab community and our\nability to have an influential political voice,\u201d he said. \u201cWe need\nstrong and united Arab representation on issues of equality,\ndiscrimination, and the Palestinian struggle, while cooperating when it\nbenefits our community.\u201d<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/israels-political-armageddon-netanyahu-regime-could-fall-next-month-1790869909", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }