As Israel casts its vote today to choose which party leads the 21st Parliament, otherwise known as Knesset, the race is close between former army Chief of Staff, Benny Gantz, and the embattled current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.
Although 37 parties are also part of the race, Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party and Gantz’ centrist (often referred to as leftist) Blue and White party have hijacked the Israel elections, turning it into a two-horse race. It is, however, important to note that no party has been able to win a majority of the 120 seats present in parliament, leading to the country’s coalition government.
Following the collation of votes, the president, Reuven Rivlin will be tasked with the responsibility of selecting a party leader to take on the duties of Prime Minister, based on recommendations made by the members of parliament.
Netanyahu, who is seeking a record fifth term, has spent ten uninterrupted years as Israel’s Prime Minister. Although he has been hailed for his efforts in leading the country and gaining popularity amongst world leaders like Russia’s Vladimir Putin and USA’s Donald Trump, he still faces major controversies at home.
In what is set up to be his toughest election yet, Netanyahu currently faces several cases of corruption ranging from bribery to breach of trust. Concerning this, in February last year, the Israeli police force recommended that the Prime Minister be indicted in a case of bribery, one of the three corruption cases he currently has to contend with.
While Netanyahu has maintained his innocence in all cases against him, referring to the situation as a “witch hunt,” Isreal’s Attorney General recently revealed that the chances of an indictment in the Prime Minister’s case seem very likely at this point.
In a bold move aimed at securing the votes of the far right-wing, Netanyahu announced on Saturday that if elected, he would ensure that large parts of the West Bank are annexed. This will help extend the sovereignty of the Jews in the West Bank and signal the end of any plan to establish a peaceful and functional state for Palestinians.
However, if Likud wins the polls today, Netanyahu may not return to power, as the 6.3 million voters in Israel are expected to vote for parties, not individuals.
Gantz, on his end, has based his campaign on labelling Netanyahu a corrupt leader. He formed the Kahol Lavan, otherwise known as the Blue and White Party, with former Israeli Finance Minister, Yair Lapid. He has also called for peace with the Palestinians and intends to push for term limits for Prime Ministers.
