Updated

With Israel's election approaching, small parties near the vote threshold could prove decisive in determining whether Netanyahu's bloc or the Eisenkot-led opposition can form a majority. Netanyahu used a TV interview to claim Egypt's intelligence chief visited Israel before October 7 (denying he met him) and suggested Iran could be orchestrating an attack to influence the vote, while reports about unheeded pre-October 7 warnings continue to dog him politically. Far-right ministers Smotrich and Ben Gvir sparred over Haredi enlistment and surplus-vote deals, with Smotrich dismissing claims of an IDF manpower shortage as a 'complete lie.' The Haredi draft exemption issue also featured in campaign debates, including at a Times of Israel event where Lapid warned against presidential meddling in post-election coalition talks and candidates clashed over West Bank settlement policy and international isolation.