OCCUPIED PALESTINE — Voting commenced on Tuesday across the occupied territories for the Zionist regime’s 26th Knesset elections, taking place under the heavy shadow of internal political strife, economic instability, and the ongoing fallout from the genocidal war on Gaza.
Marking the first election since the historic Al-Aqsa Flood operation on October 7, 2023, the vote is widely seen as a referendum on the leadership of embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. According to final pre-election surveys, Netanyahu is currently locked in a neck-and-neck race with his chief centrist challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, signalling a deeply divided entity.
The electoral campaign has been dominated by bitter rifts over the regime’s multi-front wars, contentious military draft laws, and the alarming rise of hard-line religious extremism. Furthermore, the political discourse has heavily centred on who bears responsibility for the unprecedented security failure on October 7, an operation that shattered the illusion of the regime’s invincibility.
The Zionist entity heads to the polls facing growing international isolation and condemnation. Critics and human rights organisations continue to point to the ongoing genocide in Gaza, a massive surge in illegal settlement expansion, and escalating settler violence in the occupied West Bank as evidence of the regime’s rightward and extremist shift.
Heavy Turnout and Intimidation Tactics
More than 7.33 million eligible settlers are registered to cast their ballots, choosing from 38 competing electoral lists for the 120 parliamentary seats. Reports indicate a heavy voter turnout, with tens of thousands of Israelis reportedly travelling from overseas specifically to participate in the elections.
However, the electoral process has not been without its characteristic aggression. Reports from occupied Palestine noted large crowds at polling stations but also highlighted the deliberate presence of armed settlers near ballot boxes in Palestinian “Arab areas” in a clear display of intimidation. Meanwhile, in Tel Aviv, thousands gathered in protest against Netanyahu just hours before the polls opened, underscoring the severe domestic dissatisfaction with his rule.
Awaiting the Results
Television networks within the occupied territories are expected to publish exit poll estimates immediately after the main polling stations close at 10 p.m. local time on Tuesday. However, these are merely statistical projections.
The central elections committee will begin counting regular ballots overnight, while the counting of double-envelope votes and reviews of potential violations will continue in the subsequent days. Final official results are scheduled to be published no later than Wednesday, November 4, 2026.
Regardless of the outcome, the elections underscore a profound crisis of confidence within the Zionist establishment, as the regime continues to grapple with the strategic and psychological blows inflicted by the Axis of Resistance.
Reference: ABNA24 | Al-Mayadeen