Leading Israeli Politicians Launch Campaigns Amid Fact-Check on Key Policy Claims

The official start of Israel's election campaign has intensified the race for public support, with leading politicians actively promoting their platforms across various media. Ahead of the escalating messaging, a fact-check was conducted focusing on the main party leaders from both the coalition and opposition, examining their statements on core political issues: security, judiciary, ultra-Orthodox military conscription, and the economy.

On security, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claims that most Israelis share his views on key issues such as Iran, Lebanon, and the Palestinian conflict. This is supported by a September survey from the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs showing 70% opposition to a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders, and a Tel Aviv University peace index indicating 60% oppose an independent Palestinian state alongside Israel. Similarly, a National Security Studies Institute poll found 57% of Israelis favor maintaining Israel's presence in Lebanon. However, public satisfaction with government policy on Iran is lower; 80% believe Israel did not win the conflict, with 37% viewing Iran as the victor, and 66% seeing the recent US-Iran agreement as harmful to Israel.

Regarding the judiciary, Itamar Ben-Gvir of Otzma Yehudit argues that in a constitutional crisis, public servants should obey ministers over court rulings. Legal experts clarify that disobeying court decisions may void immunity from personal lawsuits for public officials, as noted by the Supreme Court and explained by Professor Uri Aharonson of Bar-Ilan University.

On ultra-Orthodox conscription, Gadi Eizenkot of Yisrael Beiteinu states that David Ben-Gurion supported exemptions for some yeshiva students. Historical context confirms that Ben-Gurion allowed 400 students to defer service after Israel's founding, influenced by the need to rebuild religious life post-Holocaust and the army's then-unfriendly environment toward religious observance.

Finally, on the economy, Naftali Bennett claims credit for lowering prices during his tenure as economy minister. However, inflation was 4.4% when he left in June 2022 and rose to 5.3% by the end of that year, the highest in a decade. Bank of Israel notes this inflation was part of a global trend caused by supply chain disruptions and the Ukraine war, with Israel's inflation rate remaining moderate compared to other OECD countries.

This fact-check aims to clarify the accuracy of prominent political claims as the election campaign intensifies, providing voters with a grounded understanding of the leaders' positions and records.