Benjamin Netanyahu is returning to a familiar campaign strategy as Israel approaches its October 27 election, presenting himself as the leader best equipped to protect the country while attacking political rivals over security and foreign policy.
Israel's longest-serving prime minister is campaigning under unusually difficult circumstances. His long-standing security credentials were badly damaged by the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack, which exposed major failures in Israel's security system while Netanyahu was prime minister.
With another national election approaching, Netanyahu and his Likud party are attempting to refocus the political debate on national security, military strength and Israel's ability to confront threats from its enemies.
- Israel's election is scheduled for October 27, 2026.
- Netanyahu is campaigning on national security and his experience dealing with regional threats.
- His security credentials have been challenged following the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attack.
- Likud's campaign slogan is "Netanyahu does not surrender."
- Netanyahu has portrayed political opponents as weaker on security and foreign pressure.
- Recent reports about warnings allegedly received before the 2023 attack have added pressure on his government.
- Polling cited by Reuters indicates that Likud could lose seats, although polls are measurements rather than election results.
A Familiar Campaign Strategy
Netanyahu has spent decades building a political identity around security. In the current campaign, that theme has returned to the center of his public messaging.
Reuters reports that Netanyahu's campaign videos and speeches portray his rivals as lacking the determination to wage war against Israel's enemies and to resist international pressure.
The strategy draws attention to Netanyahu's extensive experience as prime minister and his long involvement in Israeli security and foreign policy.
October 7 Remains the Central Challenge
The political difficulty for Netanyahu is that the October 7 attack happened while he was leading the country.
Hamas-led militants breached Israel's border and killed and abducted people in southern Israel. The attack became one of the country's most severe security failures and was followed by a prolonged regional conflict.
Netanyahu's political opponents have used the security failure to question his record and his responsibility for the conditions that allowed the attack to happen.
This election is unusual because Netanyahu is asking voters to judge his security record after a major attack occurred during his tenure, while he simultaneously argues that his experience remains essential to protecting Israel.
New Questions About Warnings Before the Attack
The campaign has also been complicated by renewed reports about warnings that may have been received before October 7.
Reuters reports that Netanyahu has denied media reports alleging that Middle Eastern partners warned him about a possible Hamas attack. Political opponents have seized on those reports as part of their criticism of the government's handling of the threat.
Separate reporting has also described renewed attention around alleged warnings from foreign officials before the attack. The claims remain politically contested, and Netanyahu has rejected allegations that he received actionable warnings and failed to pass them to security officials.
Netanyahu Targets His Political Rivals
Netanyahu's campaign has sought to frame the election around the question of who can best manage Israel's security and international relations.
Reuters reports that his campaign has characterized opponents as weak on war and unable to withstand pressure from Israel's critics abroad.
His recent international messaging has followed a similar pattern. At the United Nations, Netanyahu used his speech to emphasize Israel's security, defend Israeli soldiers and confront critics, according to Reuters reporting before the address.
Likud Faces a Difficult Election
Netanyahu's Likud party is entering the election under pressure. Reuters reported that several opinion polls have projected losses for Likud, with some suggesting the party could lose around a third of its parliamentary seats.
Earlier in September, Reuters also reported that Netanyahu was trying to consolidate Israel's fragmented right-wing parties ahead of the election. Israel's parliamentary system makes coalition-building particularly important because no single party has historically won an outright majority of the Knesset's 120 seats.
Polls measure public opinion at a particular moment and can change before election day. They should therefore not be treated as a substitute for the eventual vote.
The Election Is Also About Responsibility
Beyond competing policy positions, the election is putting Netanyahu's record in office under scrutiny.
Yohanan Plesner of the non-partisan Israel Democracy Institute told Reuters that the election can be viewed in part as a referendum on Netanyahu's responsibility for the October 7 security failure and the government's response afterward.
That creates a difficult political equation for Netanyahu. His campaign depends heavily on the security credentials that have defined his political career, while the most serious security failure of his tenure is now one of the central issues voters are being asked to consider.
What to Watch Before October 27
- Security messaging: Whether Netanyahu continues to make national security the central theme of his campaign.
- October 7 accountability: Whether new information about the attack changes the political debate.
- Right-wing unity: Whether Netanyahu can maintain a sufficiently unified coalition of right-wing parties.
- Opposition strategy: Whether Netanyahu's rivals continue emphasizing the security failures of his government.
- Public opinion: Whether polling trends change as voters approach election day.
A Campaign Built Around Security
Netanyahu's latest campaign reflects a political formula that has been central to his career: emphasize security threats, highlight his experience and present national leadership as a question of who can protect Israel in a dangerous region.
But the 2026 election places that strategy against the backdrop of October 7. Netanyahu is asking voters to assess his record on security while facing sustained scrutiny over the failures that preceded the attack and the wars that followed it.
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