Israel Election May Change Leadership More Than Palestinian Policy

Shared security positions limit the scope for change

A change of Israeli leadership may not bring a decisive shift in policy toward Palestinians, according to Reuters’ October 22 election analysis. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his principal challenger, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, both say Israel should retain ultimate security control from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean and would not withdraw from Gaza before Hamas disarms.

The candidates differ on settlement policy and how they would work with the Trump administration’s Gaza cease-fire and reconstruction plan. Eisenkot says he would curb unauthorised settlements and settler violence, but he also rejects Palestinian statehood. Coalition partners could ultimately shape the practical direction of a new government.

For Palestinians who cannot vote in the October 27 contest, the stakes remain high. The New York Times reported on October 21 that many in Gaza and the occupied West Bank hoped Netanyahu would lose after the war and displacement that followed the Hamas-led attacks of October 2023.

In separate campaign reporting, a Times of Israel liveblog quoted Netanyahu framing the choice as “me and Trump” versus “Eisenkot and Abbas.” His pitch contrasts political alliances, while the Reuters analysis emphasizes the security positions the two leading candidates share.

Image: Stock Birken (@stockbirken) / Unsplash. The Knesset building in Jerusalem, Israel, viewed from the street; suitable as a location illustration for Israeli parliamentary politics/elections. Image usage terms.

Sources

• The New York Times
• Reuters
• timesofisrael.com