JERUSALEM (July 12): Israel is set to hold a national election on Oct 27, according to ​Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition, its first ‌since Hamas' 2023 attack and the wars that ensued in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

The precise ballot date ​had been unclear since the Israeli Parliament voted ​in May to disband, raising the possibility ⁠the election could be held early.

However, coalition ​head Ofir Katz told a parliamentary committee on ​Sunday that the original Oct 27 date set by law would be kept.

Successive surveys have suggested Netanyahu's coalition of nationalist ​and religious parties would lose the ballot, ​though his political rivals still have no clear path to power ‌and ⁠the political landscape may still shift.

Less than a year after a 2022 political comeback at the head of Israel's most right-wing government to ​date, Netanyahu's ​security credentials ⁠were left in tatters by Hamas' surprise attack on Oct 7, 2023. ​Polls show many are unhappy with Netanyahu ​over ⁠the outcome of the Iran war.

It is rare for governments in Israel to complete a full four-year ⁠term. ​Netanyahu is Israel's longest-serving leader ​and has proven himself an unmatched political survivor.

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