Final polls show Israeli election blocs deadlocked days before vote

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With Israel's October 27 election days away, final television polls showed Gadi Eisenkot's bloc leading with 52-56 seats against roughly 48-50 for Netanyahu's bloc, with neither reaching the 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Campaigning intensified sharply, with Al-Monitor describing it as turning "ugly" amid AI-generated attack images, Smotrich enlisting army-linked yeshivas for his campaign, an election committee ordering Likud to pull misleading bilingual billboards, and former Netanyahu confidant Ronald Lauder breaking his silence to warn against the prime minister's reelection. Shin Bet said it had shut down several foreign election-interference accounts, though others, including an alleged UAE-linked page, remained active, and a watchdog flagged an AI-generated video impersonating a murdered hostage. An Israel Democracy Institute survey found many Israelis would prefer new elections over another deadlocked coalition, while analysts noted the vote is further marginalizing Palestinian citizens from Israeli politics amid fears of unrest around election day.

Sources:The Jerusalem Post Al-Monitor Haaretz The Times of Israel Middle East Eye

5 outlets · 17 articles · first seen Oct 23, 8:05 AM ET

Every source article

Large share of Israelis prefer holding new elections if no coalition formed, IDI survey shows The Jerusalem Post
As Israeli election nears, campaign turns ugly Al-Monitor
Last polls before Israel's election: Eisenkot ahead, both sides short of a majority Haaretz
Netanyahu convinces Haredi party backed by rabbi accused of sex offenses to drop out The Times of Israel
Final polls before election show both blocs short of majority, small parties out of Knesset The Times of Israel
Last polls before Israel's election put Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu as both lack majority Haaretz
Beyond the polls: What are Israelis really thinking as they head to the ballot box? The Jerusalem Post
Shin Bet says it shut down foreign election-interfering accounts, though others remain active Haaretz
Election panel orders Likud to pull signs of Eisenkot bloc party leaders with Arab MKs Haaretz
Israel election 2026: Netanyahu may be weak but the right wing remains as strong as ever Middle East Eye
Smotrich enlists army-linked yeshivas for election campaign, raising legal concerns Haaretz
Ex-Netanyahu confidant Lauder breaks years of silence, warns against PM’s reelection The Times of Israel
How Israel’s election is further excluding Palestinian citizens from politics Middle East Eye
Netanyahu bloc falls to 48 seats as opposition reaches 54, days before election - poll The Jerusalem Post
Israel’s election is being cast as a historic showdown - but four trends tell a different story The Jerusalem Post
Benjamin Netanyahu: Israel's longest-serving PM fighting for survival Al-Monitor
Israel is primed for unrest around election day. Is there a way out? The Times of Israel

Every source article

Corroborated by 3 outlets (GDELT)