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Israel votes in pivotal election as Netanyahu faces main rival Eisenkot

Israelis are voting in their first election since the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks.

Israeli Prime Minister 鈥婤enjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and its right-wing allies face a rival alliance led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot. Netanyahu has campaigned on his wartime leadership and his alliance with US President Donald Trump, who has 鈦爀ndorsed him. Meanwhile, Eisenkot has accused Netanyahu of running a campaign of 'fear-mongering' and said he was confident Trump would work 'with any leader chosen by the people'.

Also on the programme: Brazilian media reports that the defeated hard right candidate in Sunday's election, Flavio Bolsonaro has fled the country to the United States; and Chinese state television has suspended broadcasting Spain's La Liga football matches in the wake of remarks by Real Madrid star Kylian Mbappe about the late Chinese leader, Mao Zedong.

(Gadi Eisenkot (left) is in a tight race with incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu (right). Credit: Reuters)

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