Nearly One-Third of Israeli Voters Remain Undecided Ahead of Tuesday Vote

Isaac the voter will face a split decision on Tuesday, October 27, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu prepares for the final day of his government's term. A survey conducted days before the ballot count showed that nearly one-third of Israeli voters have not yet decided for whom they will cast their votes. This indecision has created a rift within the ruling Likud party, where internal forecasts conflict with external pressures from opposition groups.

The path to this moment began with the scheduling of the election to allow the current administration to complete its full mandate. As the date approached, the campaign landscape shifted away from traditional party funding. Sources within Likud reported that nonprofits and organizations launched a wide-ranging drive to mobilize voters opposing Netanyahu. This effort included social media pushes, physical signage, field events, and transportation for Arab voters. It also included initiatives to bring Israelis living abroad back to the country to vote.

Party sources described this external activity as a "nonprofits affair on steroids." They argued that these groups provided a support network that operated outside standard party financing rules. Likud also criticized the Central Elections Committee, claiming it focused too heavily on regulating campaign videos and public resources while ignoring the scale of the nonprofit operations. The party sources did not provide documentation for the specific funding amounts or proof that the activity violated the law.

Inside Likud, the reaction to these developments is divided. Shlomo Filber, who runs the party's internal polling, offers forecasts that some members view as definitive. One source described the internal mood by saying, "Either Momo comes out a king, or Momo goes home. It's one or the other." This binary view contrasts with the anxiety caused by the turnout push among opposition voters.

To counter the opposition, Likud is preparing a large ground operation for Election Day. The party is focusing on preventing right-wing votes from drifting to smaller slates, despite restrictions on gathering information from polling stations. Likud also made a final attempt to convince Brig.-Gen. (res.) Ofer Winter to withdraw his bid. Winter, the former commander of the Givati Brigade and leader of the People of Israel party, remained in the race. Rabbi Eli Sadan, who participated in the talks, issued a statement supporting Winter after the negotiations failed.

Negotiations with other right-wing lists are also underway. Likud is courting backers of the joint ticket led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha. Meanwhile, the Ahi party, led by Rabbi Abergel, has already withdrawn from the race following discussions with Likud. Those talks included a proposal for legislation allowing the party to appoint a deputy minister. As the polls open, the outcome hinges on whether the undecided voters will lean toward the established parties or the smaller right-wing lists.