These four elections could change the world in 10 days – Stateside with Kai and Carter

On October 25, 2026, Israel held parliamentary elections following the deadliest day for Jews since the Holocaust, marked by Hamas attacks on October 7, 2023. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced a pivotal challenge from former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, who promised to launch an official national investigation into the security failures of that day—a stance Netanyahu refused.

Eisenkot emerged as the main challenger leading a center-right opposition promising more diplomacy and less extremism. However, both major blocs—Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition and Eisenkot’s centrist bloc—fell short of securing the 61 seats needed for parliamentary majority in the 120-member Knesset.

The two Arab-majority parties unexpectedly scored record gains, winning a combined 19 seats. This placed them at the center of coalition arithmetic despite several party leaders ruling out governing with them. Netanyahu alleged election fraud and accused Arab parties of supporting terrorism and "stealing" the vote through criminal activities such as bribery and voter mobilization software.

In response to these claims, the head of Israel's Central Elections Committee demanded an investigation into foreign interference in the elections from intelligence agency Shin Bet. As a result, with nearly 90% of ballots counted, Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats while Eisenkot’s opposition bloc captured 48 seats, leaving Arab parties as potential kingmakers in forming the next government.