The Israeli Elections Between "Second Founding" and Regional Architecture

An analysis by Al-Khanadeq argues that Israel's elections, scheduled for 27 October 2026, are not merely a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu's stay or departure but a milestone intersecting with the region's future after 7 October 2023, being the first elections held after that moment and amid an unfinished course of wars. The article contrasts two narratives: an Israeli one that sees victory in reshaping Israel's security and political space by force, reaching a "second founding" on more hardline terms, and an American one that converts the results of force into a regional order with Israel at its centre through integration, normalization and the containment of Iran. It concludes that the elections will not settle the choice between the two intertwined narratives but may determine who manages the relationship between them, while the question remains where and when the transition from force to politics will be drawn, and at whose expense.