Israel heads to the polls as shift to the right dominates critical election

Israelis are voting on Tuesday in a closely contested election, the first since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023, and the subsequent war in Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu, the country’s longest-serving prime minister, is seeking to extend his tenure after leading a coalition of far-right ultranationalists and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties. Wanted by the International Criminal Court over alleged war crimes in Gaza and facing a long-running corruption trial, he is challenged by a Zionist opposition bloc that has also embraced a right-wing approach. The campaign focused on alleged security failures, ultra-Orthodox military service and efforts to exclude Arab-led parties.