How do Israel's elections work and who are the main contenders?

Israel's general election takes place on Tuesday 27 October.

It's the first election since the 7 October 2023 Hamas-led attacks on Israel and its subsequent conflicts in Gaza and with Iran, Hezbollah and the Houthis.

Many view it as one of the most pivotal elections in Israel's history, with global implications.

Current polling puts incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu in a tight race with Gadi Eisenkot, a former head of the Israel Defense Forces, to become prime minister.

Eisenkot's popularity stems partly from his military credentials and his relative newness in politics, having formed his Yashar Party only last year.

He lost his son, a soldier, in the first months of the Gaza war, and served in Israel's war cabinet under Netanyahu until resigning in 2024 over disagreements about the conflict. He has built his campaign on calls for accountability over the security failures that led to 7 October.

Other opposition leaders include former prime minister Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman - both right-wingers who take hardline positions on security and advocate permanent Israeli control over much of the occupied West Bank - and Yair Golan, a left-winger who supports Israel's withdrawal from large parts of the territory. Despite their differences, they could work with Eisenkot to form a government.

Source: BBC News World RSS (Open Press / Translated Full Text)