Inside Story

Israel election: A time for change?

Pre-election polls suggest opposition Zionist Union is edging ahead of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party.

Opinion polls are suggesting a close contest when Israelis cast their votes in a general election on Tuesday.

The results of two surveys give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s biggest challenger up to four more seats.

Isaac Herzog is leader of Israel’s Labor party, and co-chair of a bloc known as the Zionist Union.

Where Netanyahu’s campaign has focused more on security, Herzog has made social welfare and the economy his priority.

And that chimes with a poll conducted in January asking what was the most important issue facing the next government. Sixty percent of the responses were related to socio-economic issues.

So will voters stick with seeking change at home? Or will concerns over Iran and peace talks with the Palestinians win the day? 

Presenter: Sami Zeidan

Guests:

Mitchell Barak – Founder of Keevoon Global Research.

Raoul Wootliff – Political correspondent for Voice of Israel.