Israel Election Today: Key Issues, Rules and Rival Leaders

Voting for Israel's parliamentary election began on Tuesday, with roughly 7.3 million people eligible to vote. Among them are over 500,000 young voters who will cast their ballots for the first time.

The election pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Eisenkot, a former army chief. Both have strong ties to the military and both have experienced the grief of losing close relatives in conflict. Netanyahu lost his brother Yonatan in 1976 during the Entebbe operation in Uganda, which aimed to rescue hostages. Eisenkot lost his son during the Hamas attacks of October 7.

The Israeli parliament has 120 seats. Any government needs at least 61 seats. In 76 years of independence, no party has won a majority on its own.

In an exclusive conversation with IANS, Michele Sirota, the spokesperson of the Israeli Embassy in India, said Israelis choose parties instead of individuals. Parties create lists of candidates before the election, and their seats in the Knesset depend on the nationwide vote totals.

Israel's electoral system sets a threshold of 3.25 percent of valid votes. A party that does not reach this level will not get any seats in parliament.

After counting, the president decides which party will be given the opportunity to form a coalition. The party gets 28 days to build alliances and secure consensus. If that fails, the second-largest party may try. If there is still no government, a new vote will be held within 90 days.

Six opinion polls currently indicate a tight race. Four of them favor Eisenkot's coalition with more seats. One shows Netanyahu's coalition ahead, and another suggests a majority for his side.

Voters are heading to the polls against the backdrop of three years of regional conflict following the events of October 7, 2023. Key concerns include internal security and military service exemptions for Haredi communities.