5,000 Protest in Tel Aviv Three Days Before Vote as Polls Show Dead Heat

Israel's election campaign reached its final weekend amid competing rallies over how to investigate the security failures that preceded the October 7, 2023 attacks.

About 5,000 people gathered on Saturday at the public plaza in Tel Aviv known as Hostages Square. The demonstration was organized by the October Council, a group formed by the families of captives taken to Gaza three years ago. The council announced the event three days before Tuesday's vote, calling it the culminating event marking three years of struggle to uncover the truth, demand accountability and establish a state commission of inquiry.

Opposition figures joined the crowd. Gadi Eisenkot of the Yashar party attended, and chants of "Who's coming? The next prime minister" rose as he arrived. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats, also participated, and Dan Adin, an Israeli citizen and lawyer, described masses flowing in from a march between Rabin Square and Hostages Square. The October Council told police it had received alerts about possible provocations at the rally and sent an urgent letter to the Police Commissioner regarding attempts by entities linked to the coalition to disrupt the gathering.

Polls released ahead of Tuesday's election show Netanyahu's right-wing bloc, in power since late 2022, running neck and neck with Eisenkot's. Neither bloc is currently projected to win a majority of seats in Israel's parliament. The result carries weight for one specific decision: whether Israel launches another round of strikes on Iran. Eisenkot is believed to be less inclined to resume military action against Tehran. On other foreign policy matters, leading parties remain united, including their opposition to an independent Palestinian state.

The October Council seeks to hold officials deemed responsible for the October 7 attacks to account. Netanyahu's coalition has refused to establish an independent commission of inquiry, offering instead a political commission in which half the members would be appointed by the government and the remainder by opposition legislators. Opposition leaders have said they would boycott a commission appointed by politicians. Protests also took place elsewhere in Israel, according to Haaretz.