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Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of vote

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Cite

Doran, M., & Tingle, L. (2026, October 24). Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of vote. ABC News (AU). https://www.abc.net.au/news/2026-10-25/thousands-rally-in-tel-aviv-days-ahead-of-israel-election/107306000

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ABC News (AU) · collected 2026-10-24 · by Matthew Doran, Laura Tingle

Quick Summary

Thousands of protesters gathered in Tel Aviv to rally against Benjamin Netanyahu and his government ahead of Israel's parliamentary election on Tuesday. The demonstrators called for an independent state commission to investigate the security failures leading to the October 7 attacks. Attendees voiced concerns about threats to Israeli democracy, demanding a change in leadership beyond just addressing the inquiry into recent events. Opposition leaders such as Gadi Eisenkot and Yair Lapid attended the event, reinforcing calls for accountability and reform.
Written by AI on 2026-10-25, from this article's own text only (the story summary below draws on all the coverage).

AI analysis

Story summary

On October 27, 2026, Israelis voted in parliamentary elections after three years marked by war and conflict. The main contest was between incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition, which won 53 seats, and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party, projected to win 20 of 120 seats. Arab-majority lists could play a decisive role as kingmakers due to their potential support for either side under certain conditions. Despite Netanyahu's victory in terms of seat count, forming a government remains challenging because neither bloc has achieved the required majority. President Isaac Herzog will consult with party leaders on November 8 to decide who should form the next government.

Written for “Israel Election Deadlock Netenyahu Future Uncertain” on 2026-11-04, grounded in this article and the 233 other(s) covering the same event.

Story

📰 Israel Election Deadlock Netenyahu Future Uncertain
Politics · 234 article(s) covering the same event. Compare every outlet's account →

Compared with similar articles

This article reads leans strongly left and hedges 5% of its claims. Each row says how that neighbour differs.
The Straits Times
⚖️ Leans left further right than this Hedges 2 of 25 claims Outlet record 66/100
Al Jazeera
⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 6 of 32 claims Outlet record 60/100
“Article A describes a protest rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu, while Article B discusses online tactics and social media manipulation during the upcoming election.”
Al Jazeera
⚖️ Leans left further right than this Hedges 12 of 36 claims Outlet record 60/100
“Article A describes a rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu, while Article B discusses broader outcomes and implications of the upcoming Israeli election.”
CBS News
⚖️ Leans right further right than this Hedges 2 of 33 claims Outlet record 65/100
Toronto Star
Hedges 5 of 52 claims Outlet record 64/100
“The articles describe different aspects of the political situation around Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, but not the same specific rally or incident.”
CBS News
Hedges 1 of 2 claims Outlet record 65/100
“The articles describe different events: one is a rally protesting against Netanyahu before an election, while the other discusses Netanyahu facing his country's first national election since the Hamas attack.”
The Hindu
⚖️ Leans left further right than this Hedges 4 of 49 claims Outlet record 77/100
“Article A describes a specific rally against Netanyahu on October 24, while Article B provides an overview of the upcoming election on October 27.”
The Sydney Morning Herald
Hedges 3 of 33 claims Outlet record 61/100
“The articles describe different stages of a larger political situation: one is about a protest before the election, and the other discusses the voting process on election day.”
Dawn
⚖️ Leans left further right than this Hedges 3 of 23 claims Outlet record 72/100
“The articles describe different events: one is about a rally before the election and the other describes the actual election day itself.”
Al Jazeera
⚖️ Leans strongly left Hedges 6 of 46 claims Outlet record 60/100
“Article A describes a rally against Netanyahu in Tel Aviv before an election, while Article B discusses Palestinian citizens' concerns about voting and political rights in the upcoming election.”
How this article was measured signals, leaning charts, publisher record, byline, topics and claims

Signals How these are calculated →

Claims extracted
37
sentences that state something as happening or true
Uncertain
5%
2 of 37 hedged ("reportedly", "may", "according to")
Leaning
Leans strongly left
of the writing, not the subject · beta estimate
Publisher signals
67/100
ABC News (AU)'s corrections and hedging, across everything collected from it. Not a measure of accuracy.
Outlets on this story
234
Politics
Same framing elsewhere
1
articles that frame the event the way this one does
Analyzed 2026-10-25 · how these are computed

How this is being covered How these are calculated →

Article leaning vs. publisher reliability
Source leaning vs. consistency

Publisher

ABC News (AU) · 4823 article(s) · 11 correction(s) detected
Running correction rate · 11 correction(s)

Who wrote this

Matthew Doran
16 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 In short: Mediations between parties is set to begin in an attempt to cobble together a new government after Israeli voters failed to back any coalition to form a majority government.
🔮 Police say they will safeguard the integrity of the elections.
🔮 For a country that has already gone through immense upheaval in recent years, this could put even further strain on the community, particularly given how deep-rooted ideological differences will play into the process.
🔮 Earlier in the day, the figures suggested Likud would reach 28 — the adjustment a result of Israel's electoral system awarding seats in the Knesset based on the proportion a party receives of the national vote, and a greater number of ballots having been counted.
🔮 The Israeli military has broken its silence on a widely reported feud with the government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, insisting it will only make decisions about attacks against Iran based on national security considerations.
🔮 With polls showing that a majority of voters are opting for either Jewish or Arab anti-Netanyahu parties, and suggesting Mr Netanyahu's Likud party could fail to secure enough seats to form a majority government, Israel's longest-serving prime minister has sought to play on national security fears.
🔮 Rabbi Elchanan Danino, whose son Uri was abducted and murdered in Hamas captivity, said an inquiry "will not bring our sons and daughters home, but it is necessary for the futures of our sons and daughters … and for the soldiers who are risking their lives for our existence here."
🔮 The popular businessman is a resident of Kiryat Shmona and, like many other Israelis, is preparing to vote in an election that will have a profound impact on the country after years of conflict and social upheaval.
🔮 Levine herself said she feared she wouldn't have survived the attack had she not been wearing a helmet and flak jacket.
🔮 "If Israel has the wrong Leader, which would be anyone other than Bibi, America will have to do this work ourselves, and I am not inclined to do so," he wrote. "Bibi Netanyahu has been Strong, Brave, and Brilliant in the face of tremendous opposition, including that coming from even Israel, itself.
Also by Matthew Doran
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 16 articles by Matthew Doran →
Laura Tingle
12 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction
🔮 The orders indicate that Iran would broaden the targets it strikes from predominantly military ones.
🔮 The problem for the anti-Netanyahu forces is that its Jewish-Israeli members have insisted that they would not enter a coalition with the Arab parties.
🔮 One is that the lack of a clear outcome means that Israel's prime minister will continue in power for the immediate future as caretaker, despite voters clearly rejecting him. And the other is that Arab Israelis, whose voices and concerns were barely mentioned in the campaign, potentially hold the role of kingmakers despite having long been firmly rejected as partners in power by the major Jewish Israeli parties.
2026-10-28 · assertive framing · Two ironies emerge out of Israel's deadlocked election
🔮 With polls showing that a majority of voters are opting for either Jewish or Arab anti-Netanyahu parties, and suggesting Mr Netanyahu's Likud party could fail to secure enough seats to form a majority government, Israel's longest-serving prime minister has sought to play on national security fears.
🔮 Rabbi Elchanan Danino, whose son Uri was abducted and murdered in Hamas captivity, said an inquiry "will not bring our sons and daughters home, but it is necessary for the futures of our sons and daughters … and for the soldiers who are risking their lives for our existence here."
🔮 After cancelling planned election events, Mr Netanyahu arrived in Hebron to announce major retaliations in the neighbourhood where the attackers lived and warned that Israeli defence forces could broaden out their assault. "
🔮 In the past six days Trump has announced a deal to buy Russian diesel (long sanctioned by the US and, indeed, the subject of threats of sanctions on others who might buy it).
🔮 It would be easy to dismiss the erratic, contradictory and increasingly rapid changes in the proclamations from Donald Trump about Ukraine, and US diesel purchases from Russia, if it wasn't for the US making threats to Europe about cutting intelligence and military procurements to Ukraine.
🔮 But many might find themselves agreeing with his observation this week that the American ventures into Iraq this century have been a "very expensive excursion into hell".
🔮 This followed Polish prime minister Donald Tusk, citing intelligence assessments, telling the Polish parliament last week that Russia could launch "hybrid drone and missile strikes" against Poland and other NATO countries supporting Ukraine, while portraying them as accidental.
Also by Laura Tingle
Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.
All 12 articles by Laura Tingle →

Topics

Gaza Hamas Israel Israeli Tel Aviv

Subjects

Israel GPE · 6× Gaza GPE · 3× Tel Aviv GPE · 3× ABC ORG · 2× Benjamin Netanyahu PERSON · 2× Hamas ORG · 2× Israeli NORP · 2× Jewish NORP · 2× Gadi Eisenkot PERSON · 1× Netanyahu PERSON · 1×

Narrative

Tomar said he was worried the country would be much more divided if Mr Netanyahu was returned to government, and this would cause a lot of tension between groups in the community Almost all others in positions of authority in the lead up to October 7 have lost their jobs or left, except the prime minister. Many Israelis hold him culpable.
framing: assertive · carried by 1 article(s) · first seen 2026-10-25
🔮 Rabbi Elchanan Danino, whose son Uri was abducted and murdered in Hamas captivity, said an inquiry "will not bring our sons and daughters home, but it is necessary for the futures of our sons and daughters … and for the soldiers who are risking their lives for our existence here."
2026-10-25 · ABC News (AU)
Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of vote · assertive framing

Claims (37 extracted, 2 hedged)

In short: Tens of thousands of people have rallied in Tel Aviv in a final protest against Benjamin Netanyahu and his government. asserted
thousands → rally → Netanyahu
The crowd heard calls for a commission of inquiry into the security failures that led to the October 7 attacks. asserted
that → hear → attacks
The election for the Israeli parliament occurs on Tuesday. asserted
election → occur → Tuesday
For two years they came to Hostage Square in Tel Aviv each week to demand their government do more to get their loved ones and friends home from captivity in Gaza. asserted
government → come → Gaza
Last night they came in their tens of thousands to demand an independent state commission of inquiry into how the greatest security breach in Israel's history, and as a result the greatest mass slaughter, had been able to occur in the first place. asserted
breach → come → place
Three days before an election regarded as the most pivotal in the country's history, those attending the rally were clear that there needed to be a change of government, not just to get their long-demanded inquiry but because they say Israel's democracy is under threat. asserted
democracy → regard → threat
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has flatly refused to have an independent investigation into the events of October 7, 2023, after thousands of Hamas fighters surged across the border from Gaza. asserted
thousands → refuse → Gaza
Leaders of opposition parties have pledged an inquiry. asserted
Leaders → pledge → inquiry
Among those leaders who attended the rally were the main rival to Mr Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, as well as Avigdor Liberman, Yair Lapid, Yisrael Beiteinu and Yair Golan. asserted
rival → attend → Netanyahu
Mali Zender not only lost her daughter Noa on October 7, but as a head nurse at Sheba Hospital treated those hostages who did return from the tunnels of Gaza. "Not everyone has taken responsibility and we do not have answers," she said. asserted
she → lose → answers
A country cannot move forward without soul-searching. asserted
country → move → searching
Leaders cannot demand our faith without taking responsibility. asserted
Leaders → demand → responsibility
Rabbi Elchanan Danino, whose son Uri was abducted and murdered in Hamas captivity, said an inquiry "will not bring our sons and daughters home, but it is necessary for the futures of our sons and daughters … and for the soldiers who are risking their lives for our existence here." asserted
who → abduct → existence
Repeated cries of "shame" echoed through the sweltering Tel Aviv crowd. asserted
cries → echo → crowd
But it is not just the cause of getting an inquiry being demanded by many speakers who addressed the rally and many of those attending. asserted
who → get → those
Members of the crowd who spoke to the ABC repeatedly spoke of how they believe Israel's longest-serving prime minister represents a threat to Israel's democracy, to say there must be a change of government when the election for the Israeli parliament occurs on Tuesday. asserted
election → speak → Tuesday
"Our democracy is torn down and it's ridiculous that the government that is responsible for this horrible war and for letting us down so many months before is still there," Aviva Mimouni Bloch told the ABC. asserted
Bloch → tear → ABC
Her husband Yuval said: "Probably our greatest war now is against what is happening in our country, where people who are corrupt, incapable, cynical don't take any responsibility for what is going on." asserted
what → say → responsibility
Orr Rachlevsky said that "we've been fighting against the policies of this government who brought Israel into the worst place ever, experiencing the worst massacre of the Jewish people". asserted
who → say → people
"And this is the last week that we have, the last opportunity that we have to save our beloved country as our parents and grandparents built, to be a beacon of hope and justice and love of people and human beings. asserted
parents → have → people
And we will make this place a better place." asserted
place → make → ?
Asked if he was worried what would happen on Tuesday if the current government is returned to office, he said: "This will be the end of the Jewish country. asserted
This → ask → country
It might take a day or two days or a week or a year, but this will be the end. uncertain
this → take → day
It means that the country that my grandparents built is poisoned and beyond any repair. asserted
grandparents → mean → repair
But I don't believe this will happen." asserted
this → believe → ?
Ophir Baer said: "We have to make a change." asserted
We → say → change
Ophir and his wife had regularly come to rallies at the square, driving one and a half hours each time. asserted
Ophir → come → square
"We did it for many, many months every Saturday, and today it was clear that this is like three days before our big, big chance to make a difference and to actually make a change. asserted
this → do → change
So that's what we're doing. " asserted
we → do → what
If this criminal government, and it is the criminal government, if it would be up to me, I would put all 64 or later 68 Knesset members into jail because all of them are responsible for the people who died, for the people who were murdered, for the people who didn't come back alive when they could have rescued them a year earlier, at least. uncertain
they → put → them
"So I think we need a change after those years, after the failure of October 7. asserted
we → think → October
Teenagers Tomer Nahir and Zoya Malka are too young to vote on Tuesday but believe Israel needs a change. "We need to get rid of the corruption that's going around in the government," Tomer said. asserted
Tomer → vote → government
"I'm going to cry if Bibi will be chosen again, because I really hate what he's doing to our country and what is happening, and that's why I'm also here today," Zoya said. asserted
Zoya → go → country
Tomar said he was worried the country would be much more divided if Mr Netanyahu was returned to government, and this would cause a lot of tension between groups in the community Almost all others in positions of authority in the lead up to October 7 have lost their jobs or left, except the prime minister. Many Israelis hold him culpable. asserted
him → say → minister
He has said the only problem on October 7 was that no-one had woken him up when the attack started at 6:29am that day. asserted
attack → say → 6:29am
News stories have repeatedly documented instances where Mr Netanyahu was personally told of a looming threat from Hamas, threats he both ignored and did not pass on. asserted
he → document → Hamas
His long hold on power is also under threat because of a series of corruption charges, and because he attempted to circumscribe the powers of the Supreme Court, which many Israelis believe would have given the government untrammelled power. asserted
Israelis → attempt → power
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