Deeply divided Israel braces for pivotal election

After three years of regional war, this is a battle Israel always knew was coming, writes Lucy Williamson. Watch: Why Israel's election is one of the most important in its history After three years of regional war, this is a battle Israel always knew was coming. The general election on Tuesday hangs over a country that's deeply divided and ready for a fight. Polls published on Friday put the governing coalition and the main opposition bloc almost neck-and-neck, with half a million first-time voters due to cast their ballot and some 70,000 Israelis reportedly flying in from abroad specifically to vote. On Saturday night, vast crowds of opposition voters gathered in central Tel Aviv to demand a change of government.

"We're optimistic," 21-year-old Omri told me. "I want peace, I want security, and I want to end corruption and get the religious fanatics out." This campaign has been energized by new tactics – including AI videos designed to grab the headlines – and also by a new face. Gadi Eisenkot is, perhaps, not the man you might expect to take on the flashy, aggressive, media-savvy brand of Israel's longest-serving prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. How do Israel's elections work and who are the main contenders? The bitter row over military service that could shape Israel's future Relatively new to politics, with