Will Israel’s Election Bring a Real Shift in Regional Policy?

Israelis are continuing to cast their ballots in a general election marked by fierce competition between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and an opposition bloc led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot.

The contest is drawing regional attention as observers await the outcome and consider whether it could lead to a meaningful change in Israel’s approach to its neighbours.

At the heart of that question is the distinction between a change in political leadership and a change in policy. An opposition victory would not, on its own, establish how far a new government might depart from Netanyahu’s regional approach.

With voting still under way, conclusions about a regional policy shift remain premature. The result will offer an indication of Israel’s political direction, but the decisions of the government that follows will be the clearer test of whether substantive change is ahead.