When Israel goes to the polls this year, voters will weigh in on conscription, the economy and how the state should investigate its inability to prevent Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack. AFP looks at the key issues shaping the campaign as Israel gears up for elections on October 27. - Accountability for October 7 - Many Israelis have demanded an independent state commission of inquiry into the failures that allowed Hamas's October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, which resulted in the death of more than 1,200 people. The deadliest assault in Israel's history, it inflicted a profound national trauma whose repercussions continue to shape the country's politics, society and collective psyche. Opposition parties say establishing such a commission would be their first priority if elected, arguing that Israel has relied on similar inquiries after previous national crises. But Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, which was in office when the attack occurred, has rejected the proposal. Instead, it has blamed the security establishment for failing to prevent the assault and proposed a bipartisan commission whose members would be appointed by politicians. The government-proposed commission's purpose "is to whitewash (those responsible) and prevent a genuine investigation into the greatest disaster the Jewish people have experienced since the Holocaust," opposition leader Yair Lapid wrote on X. - Future security strategy - For decades, Israel's security doctrine has rested on three principles: strong intelligence, deterrence and short wars. But that changed after October 7. The government has instead embraced long military campaigns, reflected in the army's continued presence in Gaza, southern Lebanon, Syria and regular operations in the occupied West Bank, as well as strikes in Iran and against Yemen's Tehran-backed Houthi militias. The Israeli military has established what it calls "security zones" in all three areas while also conducting near-daily operations in the occupied West Bank. Inside Israel, this new doctrine has fueled debate over the country's ability to sustain a military deployed on multiple fronts. Tens of thousands of reservists have been repeatedly mobilized since 2023, often at significant personal and economic cost, while military leaders continue to warn of manpower shortages. "We have gone from a logic of deterrence and prosperity between wars to a society that lives permanently by the sword," Ofer Shelah, a researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), told AFP. The campaigns have come at a cost to Israel's reputation amid mounting international criticism, with the death toll in Gaza alone exceeding 73,000, according to the territory's health ministry. Thousands more have also been killed in Lebanon. Israel has faced growing backlash internationally, including in the United States, its closest ally, over the human and economic costs of the wars. Even US President Donald Trump publicly rebuked Netanyahu over Israel's conduct during the conflict with Iran, at one point launching a profanity-laced tirade. - Religion, identity, conscription - With the military facing manpower shortages, the debate over exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews has evolved into a broader argument over Israel's identity. Ultra-Orthodox parties want to preserve exemptions that allow religious students to avoid military service, and they are backed by Netanyahu's Likud party and its far-right coalition partners. Most opposition parties support ending the exemptions and have said they would refuse to join any government that includes ultra-Orthodox parties. The divide extends beyond military service. Just days before parliament was dissolved, the outgoing coalition introduced measures promoting gender separation in some public spaces and passed legislation emphasizing the importance of Torah study. Supporters say these policies strengthen Israel's Jewish character. Critics argue they move the country toward greater religious influence over public life and do not reflect the views of the broader population. - Surging cost of living - While security dominates the political debate, the economy remains a major concern for many voters. Despite strong economic growth, with GDP more than doubling since 2000 and unemployment remaining historically low, Israelis continue to face one of the world's highest costs of living. At the same time, median wages remain below the OECD average, putting increasing pressure on households. Economists point to long-standing structural problems, including housing shortages, trade barriers and limited competition in key sectors, as the main drivers of high prices. The wars have added another challenge. Since 2023, Israel's defense budget has doubled, placing growing pressure on public finances and making the balance between security spending and domestic priorities another key question for voters.
