As Israelis head to the polls on Tuesday, the questions at stake extend beyond the future of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Voters are considering who can rebuild a nation battered by years of conflict, restore faith in leadership, and mend the societal rifts that have deepened over time.
From the communities along the Lebanese border to the kibbutzim close to Gaza, citizens are weighing different visions for Israel’s path forward. A number are calling for increased government support and accountability in light of the events of October 7, while others credit Netanyahu for military successes that, they argue, have bolstered the country’s security.
“Three years of fear have changed the people, and we need to give them a lot of hope,” said Asaf Lengleben, the head of the Upper Galilee Regional Council. He intends to vote for the centrist Yashar party, led by former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot, who poses the main challenge to Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party.
After Hezbollah began attacks in response to the situation following October 7, 2023, many residents near the Lebanese border fled, and many have yet to return, despite the military’s efforts to weaken the group.
“People didn’t want to come back. They’re still afraid of Hezbollah,” Lengleben noted. “They feel isolated and chose to leave. Some went temporarily while others left for good.”
According to Lengleben, fewer than a thousand families with children have returned home since the onset of the conflict.
This mass departure has had significant economic repercussions. Tourism has plummeted, and local businesses struggle to attract both customers and workers. In Kiryat Shmona, a key urban center in the Upper Galilee, closed shops and reduced school enrollments make it challenging to return to normalcy.
“If you want to strengthen our region, we need a train and some serious infrastructure,” he argued. “It all comes down to funding. The government’s ability to support us hinges on money.”
The Netanyahu administration has proposed some reconstruction initiatives, such as the funding to convert Tel-Hai Academic College into the University of Kiryat Shmona. Yet, Lengleben insists that more consistent investment is required.
Daniella Porat-Penso, 59, from Kibbutz Yiftah, credits the military for significantly enhancing security along the northern border area, recalling the visible presence of Hezbollah flags prior to October 7.
“We had to invest a lot of strength, resources, and manpower to push them back, and I don’t feel threatened now,” she expressed. “I feel safe.”
Nevertheless, Porat-Penso, who is considering voting for either Eisenkot’s Yashar party or Yair Golan’s leftist Democrats, believes new political leadership could be beneficial for the region.
“I think a change in government could really benefit the north,” she expressed. “It’s all about confidence, about how secure you feel at home or when you’re out and about.”
Still, the call for political change does not necessarily mean rejecting Netanyahu’s leadership entirely.
Eylon Bader, 37, who spent around a year serving in Gaza before relocating from Tel Aviv to the northern kibbutz of Neot Mordechai about a year and a half ago, regards Netanyahu as one of the most influential Jewish leaders of modern times, even likening his significance to biblical figures like David and Solomon.
Nonetheless, Bader plans to support former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, explaining that Netanyahu has become a focal point in the country’s political divisions.
“It’s not about right or left, nor is it about the Palestinian question,” he clarified. “It’s simply about whether people support Netanyahu or not.”
His concern primarily lies with the exemption from military service for many ultra-Orthodox men, an issue that has become increasingly contentious as reservists have faced continual deployments.
“It’s not representative of Judaism. It’s detrimental to society,” he stated.
Retired IDF Colonel Kobi Marom sharply criticized Netanyahu, holding him personally responsible for the failures surrounding the October 7 massacre by Hamas.
“In my view, Netanyahu and his government bear full responsibility for the disaster that was October 7, the biggest tragedy this country has ever experienced,” he said. “We must investigate how and why this transpired.”
Marom also criticized the government’s relationship with Qatar, describing it as hostile, and highlighted the impact of ultra-Orthodox parties resisting military service as key issues for voters. He intends to vote for Eisenkot’s party, citing their friendship from their military service together.
Along the Gaza border, the war’s aftermath feels deeply personal. Hila Fenlon, 48, from Netiv HaAsara, lost her partner’s cousin, Eden Yerushalmi, who was one of six Israeli hostages killed by Hamas. She views Netanyahu’s management of the hostage crisis as an ethical failure that surpasses mere military errors.
“You can overlook a professional mistake. But a moral failure? That’s unforgivable,” she lamented.
Conversely, some believe that Netanyahu’s leadership during wartime is precisely why his coalition should remain in power.
Shira Felbert, 46, a mother of six from Jerusalem supporting Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionist Party, stated that she evaluates politicians based on their deeds rather than their campaign promises.
“Under this government, Israel has become far stronger against its foes: Hezbollah is weakened, and Iran knows Israel is ready to respond,” she observed.
While Felbert thinks Netanyahu should eventually step down, she doesn’t see a strong alternative at the moment.
“For me, strength isn’t the ultimate goal,” she said. “It’s what provides a mother in Israel with the assurance to raise her kids safely.”
The upcoming election will shape Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, where a governing coalition needs to secure 61 seats to hold a majority.
Recent polls suggest a fragmented electorate, indicating that neither Netanyahu’s coalition nor the opposition is guaranteed enough seats to form a government without complex negotiations.
Former national security adviser Tzachi Hanegbi, a staunch ally of Netanyahu, remarked on the unusually subdued election campaign this year, which starkly contrasts with the passionate political battles of previous years.
“So far, I’d describe it as… a sleepy election,” he mentioned during a gathering organized by the Foreign Press Club of Israel. “In past elections, you’d see hundreds of thousands of people parading for various causes, but this one just doesn’t seem to have the same fire.”
Hanegbi attributed this lackluster atmosphere to the exhausting political climate, stemming from extensive protests over judicial reforms, the pain of the hostage crisis, and the prolonged conflict.
“There seems to be some sort of political fatigue,” he noted. “I hope it’s not just apathy; perhaps, it’s a sign of maturity.”
For voters from the Lebanese border area to the Gaza frontier, the implications are significant: can Israel’s next government convert military successes into something enduring, such as thriving communities, a robust economy, and a less divided society?
“It’s a remarkable place. It has incredible communities, fantastic people. It’s beautiful here,” Porat-Penso remarked about Galilee. “Why shouldn’t people want to return?”
