Jerusalem (AFP) – Israelis flock to the polls in turnout unseen in decades, with a deeply divided electorate delivering a verdict on veteran right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the first election since the October 7, 2023 attack. The close-fought vote comes as Israel looks increasingly isolated on the world stage, driven by its devastating military campaign in Gaza, soaring settlement construction and violence in the occupied West Bank, and a move towards hard-right religious nationalism.
