Netanyahu is facing a backlash against the Gaza conflict as Isaac Herzog’s Zionist Union government gains ground. For Arabs in the country, much is at stake in Israeli elections every four years.
How do Israeli elections work?
Candidate parties receive parliament seats proportionate to the number of citizens who voted for them. There are 120 seats total.
Seats are counted. Unless a party wins the majority of seats, the next move is to negotiate among the candidates. (In recent polls Herzog stands at 24-26 seats, not even a quarter, and Netanyahu at 20-22. No party has ever won a majority.)
The party to have the highest number of seats gets a chance to form a coalition. Negotiations among the candidates then decide who gets to lead as prime minister.
As Israeli prime minister, the most important issue to address is also the most controversial: the Palestinian conflict. What do the candidates mean for Gaza and Palestinians currently under siege?
Here we take a closer look.
BENJAMIN NETANYAHU (LIKUD PARTY): Seeking a fourth term as prime minister, Netanyahu has been the face of Israel since the ’90s. Critics of the incumbent say he’s handled the Gaza conflict wrong despite his military background; under his leadership there would be no Palestinian state, Netanyahu told voters. (AFP/File)
