Israeli Candidates Clash Over October 7 Inquiry and Haredi Draft Before Tuesday Vote
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 26
Israeli Candidates Clash Over October 7 Inquiry and Haredi Draft Before Tuesday Vote
2 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · Oct 26
Summary
Tuesday’s Israeli election has turned less on Gaza or a two-state deal than on internal disputes over an October 7 inquiry, ultra-Orthodox conscription and Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul.
Leading contenders largely converge against a near-term two-state solution: Netanyahu rejects a Palestinian state, Eisenkot calls two states a mistake, and even Yair Golan says October 7 trauma makes that leap impossible now.
The sharpest split centers on the Haredi draft, after about 40 ultra-Orthodox men were arrested this month for evasion; Netanyahu defends non-coercive enlistment, while rivals cast him as dependent on Shas and UTJ.
Judicial reform remains another fault line, with Netanyahu urging a revived curb on court power and opponents such as Naftali Bennett pledging to repeal the overhaul laws after the next Knesset convenes.
October 7 accountability hangs over the race because security chiefs have already resigned, but no comparable inquiry into Netanyahu has occurred despite reports he was warned by Egypt and the UAE before the 2023 attack.
Will drafting ultra-Orthodox men trigger a coalition collapse before Israel’s fragmented opposition can even secure an electoral victory?
Could the fierce battle over judicial power and democratic survival ultimately overshadow the geopolitical fallout of the Gaza war?
With the two-state solution functionally moribund, how will the next Israeli government handle the explosive reality of West Bank annexation?
Israel’s 2026 Election at a Crossroads: The October 7 Inquiry Stalemate, Haredi Draft Crisis, and the Battle for National Accountability
Overview
The October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, which caused massive casualties and abductions, triggered widespread public demand for an independent state inquiry. As the government failed to launch an official investigation, civil society mobilized, leading to a huge Tel Aviv rally just before the October 27, 2026 election. Meanwhile, the aftermath of the attack strained Israel’s military, exposing severe manpower shortages and pushing defense spending to nearly double. Legal and political battles over ultra-Orthodox draft exemptions further deepened divisions, with Supreme Court rulings and enforcement measures reshaping enlistment trends and coalition stability. These interconnected crises now define Israel’s political and social landscape.