Netanyahu fights for political survival in first Israeli vote since Oct. 7 — and he might still win

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life in Tuesday's election, the first national vote since the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023. Yet few Israeli analysts are willing to count out the country's longest-serving prime minister, despite the catastrophic impact of those attacks. The election is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership. But his opponents should not assume his defeat, analysts say. He has survived past crises that seemed certain to end his career. The vote comes as Israel continues to grapple with the aftermath of the Oct. 7 attacks. The war in Gaza and the security failures that day remain central issues for voters. Netanyahu's political resilience is well documented. He has held office longer than any other Israeli prime minister and has repeatedly returned from the political brink. Tuesday's election will test whether that pattern holds once more.