00:00Israel is heading for crucial elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, it's a make-or-break battle for him.
00:06He's fighting to retain power amidst mounting security, political and legal challenges.
00:10Benjamin Netanyahu, he's Israel's longest-serving prime minister, faces a formidable challenge from former IDF chief Gandhi Eisenhower.
00:18Voters weigh in on the Gaza war, security challenge, cost of living and confidence in the government and of course
00:23the Israel-Iran war.
00:25Benjamin Netanyahu is positioning himself as the leader, best equipped to confront the challenge posed by Iran and its regional
00:32proxies.
00:33Pranayupadhyay gets us more on this report.
00:49One man, two decades in power. One verdict.
00:57Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, is fighting to stay in office.
01:04This is going to be a very crucial election of Israel. No party has ever secured single largest majority in
01:11the Israel's history or parliamentary election.
01:13But this election is not going to be any different because the scenario which is projected by the polls, opinion
01:21polls, clearly indicates that no major, no coalition,
01:25be the Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the record party's coalition, no coalition is likely to secure single largest majority.
01:40Security failures before October 7 attacks, the conflict with Iran, the cost of living and legal troubles hang over him.
01:51How are you reading this election and why this election is considered as one of the most defining elections of
01:57Israel's history?
01:58Well, these elections are happening at a time when the entire West Asia and, to say, the entire world is
02:04undergoing a major shift,
02:06not just in terms of geopolitics, but in terms of geoeconomics also.
02:09You see, the wars have ravaged the economies and the geopolitical manifestations are coming out in such a way that
02:16and now new dynamics are shaping the area of West Asia, what we call the Middle East also.
02:25His challenger is formidable, Gadi Aysenkot, a former chief of the Israel Defense Forces.
02:36Voters are weighing the government's leadership and coalition arithmetic may decide the outcome.
02:43We are weighing the government's leadership, the government's leadership and the government's leadership and the government's leadership.
03:11Netanyahu has projected himself as the leader best equipped to confront Iran and its proxies.
03:18Even as Netanyahu faces a formidable opponent, he has help from his biggest ally, Donald Trump.
03:29While touting his relationship with Netanyahu, Trump hailed Bibi as a warrior prime minister
03:34and claimed that he must be re-elected in order to finish the job against Iran.
03:43However, the Israeli polls are a lot bigger than Netanyahu's political fate.
03:50The result will shape how Israel deals with Iran, its proxies and the war in Gaza.
03:58The former IDFP, Gadi Eisenkot led coalition. No coalition is likely to secure single largest majority
04:07and this makes the role of Arab countries absolutely important in this election
04:12because they may be kingmaker. But will any party take their help?
04:19Because that remains a question because both the coalitions led by Gadi Eisenkot
04:24and Benjamin Netanyahu have already said that they are not going to take the help of the Arab parties.
04:29Then what will happen? Because that is going to decide the fate and future of Israel's new government.
04:36With Pranay Upadhyay in Tel Aviv, Bureau Report, India Today.
04:46And let me now quickly cut across to Jerusalem. Pranay Upadhyay joins us from Ground Zero.
04:51Pranay, the first elections after the October 7, 2023 terror attack on Israel.
04:57What are the issues that is going to bring people to the ballot box, to the voting centre?
05:04What brings them, what makes them tick about these elections?
05:11Gaurav, as you know that in the electoral history of Israel, no one party has ever secured majority on its
05:16own.
05:17And in fact, this election, election for the 26th Knesset is not telling any different story as far as the
05:24opinion polls are concerned.
05:25And in fact, the opinion polls are indicating that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led Likud party and its coalition,
05:32nor the Gadi-Eisenkot led Yashar party and its coalition is able to manage or to get the magic number
05:40of 61 seats in the 120 seat Parliament of Israel.
05:45And in fact, this opened up a lot of possibilities. Many things can happen.
05:49Either there is a possibility of a re-election, there is a possibility of another permutation combination,
05:55there is even the possibility of a national unity government where Gadi-Eisenkot and Netanyahu can come together.
06:00Obviously, this is the coalition politics of Israel where many things, money permutation combinations can work together.
06:07But certainly, you know, this is a tough challenge for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
06:11It indeed is. And it's too close to call. Keep tracking that story.
06:14I will come back to you for more Pranay for the moment. Many thanks. That is all I have for
06:18you.
