Ex-Likud Voters Campaign for Eisenkot as 13% of Israelis Remain Undecided
Updated
Updated · Reuters · Oct 25
Ex-Likud Voters Campaign for Eisenkot as 13% of Israelis Remain Undecided
3 articles · Updated · Reuters · Oct 25
Summary
Dimona residents who long backed Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud are canvassing for rival Gadi Eisenkot ahead of Tuesday's election, turning a traditional party stronghold into a test of whether disillusioned conservatives will defect.
Poll data show why that bloc matters: only 55% of Likud's 2022 voters say they will back it again, while 15% now favor anti-Netanyahu parties, 14% other right-wing lists and 9% remain undecided.
Eisenkot's Yashar party is running neck-and-neck with Likud, but he still lacks a clear route to power even as Netanyahu's coalition has been forecast for months to lose its majority.
The contest has been reshaped by the October 7, 2023 attack and war that followed; in Dimona, where an Iranian missile wounded dozens in March, Eisenkot's Mizrahi roots and military record are helping him court Likud's traditional base.
Will a grieving former military chief successfully shatter the historical political monopoly in Israel's desert towns?
Could a disputed phone call timestamp ultimately dismantle decades of political loyalty in Israel's southern strongholds?
The 2026 Israeli Election: Undecided Voters, Coalition Gridlock, and the Battle for a 61-Seat Majority
Overview
Israel’s October 2026 election is shaped by deep public trauma from the 2023 attacks, bitter disputes over ultra-Orthodox military exemptions, and a severe cost-of-living crisis, leaving up to 30% of voters undecided. In southern Likud strongholds, security failures and Gadi Eisenkot’s Mizrahi heritage drive voter defections, while Netanyahu relies on loyalists and his development record. As the Bader-Ofer system discards votes for parties below the 3.25% threshold, both major blocs fight to consolidate support, with opposition strategists urging voters to avoid micro-parties. With neither side likely to reach a 61-seat majority, gridlock and the risk of repeat elections loom large.