Polls say Netanyahu will lose the Israeli election. It’s not that simple

When I last visited Israel in January 2024 for my sister’s wedding in Jerusalem, the mood on Israeli streets was somber. The last war in Gaza was only a few months ago and more than a hundred Israeli hostages were still being held. Every coffee shop conversation I had with anyone seemed to eventually lead to the same conclusion: Benjamin Netanyahu and his government had to go.

Most people I spoke to on the street, my friends and family, were feeling a mixture of anger and shock.