The key facts
- Tens of thousands protested in Tel Aviv over the weekend ahead of Tuesday's election
- Organisers demand a state commission of inquiry into the October 7, 2023 attacks
- Polls predict an opposition lead over Netanyahu's bloc, but without a majority for either side
Final rally before the election
Over the weekend, two days before the Knesset elections scheduled for Tuesday, tens of thousands of supporters of the Israeli opposition took to the streets of Tel Aviv. Demonstrations took place in the city's affluent neighbourhoods, where opposition politicians argued that the country's future is at risk if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wins another term. Many observers call the upcoming elections the most important in Israel's history, The National writes. According to the organisers, 100,000 people took part in the rally.
Demand for an investigation into October 7
The organisers of the rally are demanding a state commission of inquiry into Hamas's October 7, 2023 attacks — the highest form of investigation in Israel, which the Netanyahu government has consistently resisted. Hostages Square, near the Tel Aviv Museum of Art, has become a stronghold of the anti-government protest movement: after Hamas's attack on southern Israel in 2023, rallies for the release of hostages were held there regularly, and after the ceasefire in Gaza was announced, the movement shifted its focus to demanding an investigation into the security failure.
Voices of participants and the opposition
Among the participants are families of hostages. Ofri Bibas, the sister-in-law of Shiri Bibas, who was killed in Gaza along with her two young children after being kidnapped on October 7, told The National that anyone who held office on the day of the attack should not remain in their post, and that the government should have resigned immediately. On Sunday evening Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of the general staff and leader of the Yashar party, gathered hundreds of supporters in the northern part of the city. His supporters believe that only an opposition victory will restore Israel's standing in the world, which has declined since the start of the war in Gaza. Yashar candidate Lianne Pollak-David said the party stands for regional integration and the expansion of the Abraham Accords, and that a continuation of Netanyahu's course will lead Israel to the status of a pariah state.
Poll standings and the risk of deadlock
According to mainstream polls cited by The National, the opposition has been ahead of Netanyahu's right-wing bloc for several months in a row, which relies on the radical wings of the settler movement and the ultra-Orthodox community. However, neither side is projected to win a majority, which threatens weeks of difficult coalition negotiations, during which Netanyahu would remain acting prime minister. The outlet notes concerns that the leader could use such a deadlock to his advantage. Israeli media reported on Sunday about an 'unprecedented standoff' between Netanyahu and chief of the general staff Eyal Zamir, who, according to Channel 12, refused to carry out the prime minister's instructions on military action, fearing they would provoke Iran into an attack before the election.
The significance of the election
The election concerns not only Israeli society: according to The National, residents of Gaza want Netanyahu gone but do not expect a 'new beginning' from the Knesset vote. The practical outcome of Tuesday is only partly predictable: with no majority for either bloc, government formation will be drawn out, and Netanyahu will keep the post of prime minister for a transitional period — a scenario that, as the outlet notes, worries the opposition. It remains unknown whether the mobilisation of the protest movement will translate into a real lead at the ballot box.
