Prayer Alert
Today, Israel is going to the polls for the first time since Hamas’ attacks on 7 October 2023. Polls show a tight race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, and his coalition of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties has been described as the most right-wing government the country has seen.
Eisenkot served as Israel’s military chief from 2015 to 2019 and was a member of the war cabinet for eight months before resigning over his differences with Netanyahu’s approach to the war. His son, Gal, was killed fighting in Gaza in December 2023. According to Time magazine: “Eisenkot has cultivated a reputation for integrity, competence, and personal rectitude… But perhaps his most powerful political asset is his devastating personal loss. In a country scarred by the trauma of Oct. 7 and the war that followed, Eisenkot’s grief is familiar to countless Israelis. His effort to persevere mirrors a nation’s struggle.”
Please pray that God will direct the voting today and that His will be done.
There are 120 seats in the Knesset, and it is highly unlikely that any one party will achieve the 61 seats needed for a majority. Even if Eisenkot’s Yashar party finishes first, as the polls predict, the president does not automatically task the winner with forming a government. The mandate goes to the lawmaker most likely to assemble a coalition. Negotiations could drag on for weeks or fail completely, making political deadlock a real possibility.
Voters will determine not only who governs Israel, but also what kind of nation Israel will become—and whether its next leader can begin to heal its wounds and divisions.
Please pray:
- For wisdom and discernment for Israeli voters.
- For God to guide the formation of a government and prevent political deadlock.
- For Israel’s leaders to act with integrity and humility, and for God to bring healing to a divided nation.
