Netanyahu and Zamir clash over Iran order days before vote

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir engaged in a dispute on Sunday regarding an instruction that military leaders believe could lead to armed conflict with Iran. The friction occurred just three days before the country's general elections. Channel 12 News reported the disagreement without specifying the exact nature of the order.

Zamir challenged the directive and requested legal guarantees before executing any military operations. Senior military officials expressed concern that the political leadership was using the Iranian situation to gain electoral momentum. This skepticism cast doubt on the timing and intent behind the instruction.

Defence Minister Israel Katz and Netanyahu both rejected the account of a looming strike. Katz posted on social media on Monday that Israel did not plan to attack Iran before the Tuesday vote. The dispute arose alongside reports that Netanyahu had discussed resuming a joint US-Israeli campaign against Iran with President Donald Trump.

Opposition leaders quickly framed the incident as political maneuvering. Gadi Eisenkot, the prime minister's primary rival, warned Netanyahu on Sunday not to place political interests above national security. Avigdor Lieberman, a partner in Eisenkot's bloc, used stronger language. He told Radio 103FM on Monday that Netanyahu was committing treason by attempting to drag the nation into war and said he would seek an investigation on those charges.

Separate reports indicate a decline in female representation in the upcoming parliament. The women's magazine LaIsha estimated that 31 women will enter the Knesset, accounting for just over a quarter of the 120 seats. This number is lower than the 35 women in the current parliament and well below the record 45 women elected in March 2021. Most of the incoming women are expected to represent opposition parties, while Netanyahu's bloc is projected to send only six.

Economic daily Calcalist reported that approximately 90,000 Israelis living abroad have returned to the country ahead of the election. A telecoms company tracking user activity estimates this number will rise to 111,000 on election day. This surge represents an increase of roughly 94,000 over typical periods. The company attributed the travel spike to voting intentions, noting that people do not typically visit Israel in mid-October without a specific reason.

Channel 13 News confirmed these figures using data from Ben Gurion Airport. The report noted that 90,000 votes could equate to approximately two Knesset seats, although the returning population includes children who are not eligible to cast ballots.