Who Israel elects matters, and not just for Israelis

In Israel's convoluted political discourse, just days before a general election that plenty of regard as one of the most consequential in the country's history, the prevailing perception is that the current coalition and the opposition parties are running neck and neck.

What happened

This is far from the full picture. Most polls suggest that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right and ultra-Orthodox partners will fall short of a parliamentary majority. Most opposition parties, at least until the last polling station closes and the final results become known, have ruled out forming a coalition administration with the parties that primarily represent Israel's Palestinian citizens, commonly referred to as the "Arab parties". Consequently, the opposition could additionally struggle to secure the backing needed to govern.

The bottom line

Taken together, the developments around who Israel elects matters, and not just for Israelis point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.