Israelis have changed. Will they change their leadership?

Key Points:

• Israelis face a critical election following the Oct. 7, 2023 Hamas attacks, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking reelection amid criticism over his handling of security and ongoing wars, while challenger Gadi Eisenkot promises more diplomacy and an investigation into the security failures.
• The Oct. 7 attacks, which killed nearly 1,200 Israelis and resulted in hostages taken, exposed intelligence failures and led to a prolonged and devastating Israeli military response in Gaza, causing deep divisions within Israeli society and trauma among soldiers.
• Israeli public opinion has hardened, with a majority viewing Gaza civilians as complicit in terrorism and showing little sympathy for Palestinian suffering, while Israeli media coverage has largely avoided reporting on Gaza’s humanitarian crisis.
• Violence and settlement expansion in the West Bank have surged under Netanyahu’s government, prompting condemnation from some Israeli military veterans and officials who see these actions as damaging Israel’s moral standing.
• The election outcome remains uncertain, with neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot holding a clear majority; a stalemate could prolong Netanyahu’s rule, while Eisenkot’s platform includes curbing settler violence and pursuing diplomatic solutions, though not endorsing a Palestinian state at this time.