Israel’s Election Campaign Is Heating Up. Here’s Who’s Running.

Israel’s political parties have finalized their candidate slates ahead of a general election on Oct. 27, which many Israelis and outside observers consider to be the most consequential vote in the country’s history. The campaign so far has been dominated by a battle between Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s polarizing prime minister, and Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff who leads the largest opposition party. Polls show that neither man’s bloc has yet gained the support of a decisive majority of voters, and there is no guarantee that either of them will be the next prime minister. The result is an unpredictable race, with profound implications for Israelis and the millions of Palestinians living under Israeli occupation, as well as for the country’s regional conflicts, its international relations and the Jewish diaspora. About a dozen parties are expected to clear the electoral threshold to make it into Israel’s 120-seat Parliament, the Knesset. The real political wrangling begins after the election, when party leaders will try to forge a governing coalition of at least 61 lawmakers. What you need to know about parties on the ballot: The leading contenders Other major opposition parties Other major pro-Netanyahu parties The Arab parties The leading contenders Likud (Consolidation) Historically the largest conservative party; increasingly populist. Leader: Benjamin Netanyahu , 76. We are having trouble retrieving the article content. Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times. Thank you for your patience while we verify access. Already a subscriber? Log in . Want all of The Times? Subscribe .