Israel Votes in Close Contest With Coalition Outcome Unclear

Israelis began voting Tuesday in a closely contested parliamentary election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc and a rival alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot lacking a clear path to form a government, according to polling assessments. No election result was available as voting began. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time and were scheduled to close at 10 p.m. The vote is the first since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023, and follows years of war and deep divisions over Netanyahu’s leadership. The 120-seat Knesset is elected through a system in which governments generally depend on coalitions among multiple parties. Netanyahu has made his wartime leadership and relationship with U.S. President Donald Trump central to his campaign. On Sunday, Netanyahu said Trump was prepared to act again against Iran, but only if Netanyahu remained in power. Eisenkot has said the next government must prevent Iran from obtaining a military nuclear capability, whether by force or through a diplomatic arrangement backed by Washington. The election has also focused attention on responsibility for the security failures preceding the October 7 attacks. Opponents of...