Israel's election campaign has closed with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of a "second Holocaust" from Iran's nuclear program and stepping up a West Bank offensive, while his chief challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, tells voters the country faces a choice between international partnership and isolation. Voting is set for Tuesday.
With polls suggesting that a majority of voters are choosing Jewish or Arab parties opposed to Mr Netanyahu, and that his Likud party could fail to secure enough seats to form a majority government, Israel's longest-serving prime minister has sought to play on national security fears. After an attack at a military checkpoint in Hebron killed two Israel Defense Forces soldiers, Israeli security forces launched one of the biggest offensives in the West Bank since Israel illegally occupied the Palestinian Territory in 1967, forcing more than 2,500 people from their homes. Many of the buildings were subsequently bulldozed.
Mr Netanyahu has also spoken of international isolation. In a television interview he said Israel needed to set up a "bypass economy" to get around possible sanctions. Asked whether he was referring to cryptocurrency, he replied: "Very true, very true," adding that blockchain technology was another possibility. The comments drew condemnation from political rivals and economists, and a rare rebuke from the Bank of Israel, which said cryptocurrencies could not serve as a route to bypass sanctions. "The right course for Israel's economy is to preserve our economic relations with our main trading partners, and to focus on preventing sanctions and their negative impact on the economy," the bank said.
On Sunday, Mr Netanyahu escalated further, posting an AI-generated picture of a nuclear blast hitting a city widely interpreted to be Tel Aviv and warning that choosing a leader unable to stop Iran's nuclear program could lead to a "second Holocaust". In another interview he said Israeli intelligence suggested Iran and its proxies may launch an attack to disrupt the election, warning: "Don't test us, you will suffer disproportionately severe blows."
Opponent Yair Lapid said the prime minister had "gone off the rails", and Israeli media reported an unprecedented confrontation between Mr Netanyahu and the IDF chief of staff, Eyal Zamir, who was reportedly concerned that the political leadership is steering Israel toward a potential miscalculation with Iran ahead of the election.
Mr Netanyahu's supporters and allies view him as a leader with a lengthy record of achievements in office who has kept Israel safe. His opponents criticise him over corruption allegations and his failure to hold an inquiry into October 7.
Mr Eisenkot, a former IDF chief of staff and leader of the Yashar party, told a rally in Tel Aviv on Sunday night that Israel's future should not be fuelled by "incitement, hatred, or foreign interests" and should be free from lies and manipulation. He warned voters that Mr Netanyahu would use any trick, lie or spin to get re-elected.
Yashar candidate Lianne Pollak-David told the ABC the government had done a disservice by failing to take responsibility for October 7 and by polarising and isolating Israel. "So this government has to go home. It does not represent the spirits, the amazing spirit of Israelis," she said. She described Mr Eisenkot as "kind of a father figure" who would "bring back the word responsibility to the Israeli leadership".
Mr Eisenkot is not proposing any major change of policies on Gaza, Lebanon or the treatment of Palestinians in the West Bank. Ms Pollak-David said there may still be issues to be discussed with the international community, but that Israel would have a partner to work with on new alliances, translating military achievements into strategic diplomatic achievements, and building a stable and prosperous region.