Israel votes on Tuesday: a final mass rally against Netanyahu in Tel Aviv as polls show no bloc with a majority
Israelis vote on Tuesday in an election widely seen as a referendum on Benjamin Netanyahu. Thousands joined a final anti-government rally in Tel Aviv on Saturday, organised by families of 7 October victims and hostages, and many Israelis abroad are flying home to vote.
Left 1 · Centre-left 19 · Centre 6 · Centre-right 2 · Right 3
Blindspot for the right (barely covered by right-leaning outlets)
Sources by leanFollow the moneyMore coverage
How each side framed it
Left-leaning outlets
The anti-Netanyahu campaign: 'Israelis hold final rally against Netanyahu' (AP); Al Jazeera asks how the military crackdown may influence the vote.
Centre outlets
Centre-rated outlets headline it: “Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of vote” (France 24); “<a href="https://news.sky.com/video/could-palestinian-voters-tip-israels-election-13602356">'This is an extremist government': The Israeli Palestinians with the votes that could force Netanyahu out</a>” (Sky News).
Right-leaning outlets
Mixed: 'tens of thousands fly into Israel to vote out Netanyahu' (Telegraph); the Jerusalem Post says the campaign 'falls short of the change the country needs'.
Holding the paradox
Agreed facts
Israel votes on Tuesday. Thousands rallied in Tel Aviv on Saturday at a demonstration organised by the October Council, a group of families of 7 October victims and hostages; recent polls show neither bloc with a clear majority.
Where claims conflict
Whether the vote is a referendum on Netanyahu's handling of 7 October and the war, or on security and the economy.
What each side is protecting
Opposition: accountability and democratic institutions. Netanyahu's supporters: security and continuity in wartime.
Common ground
Both sides talk about security and returning normal life.
The paradox
An election about accountability for 7 October is being fought in the shadow of new military operations.
The bridge
Shared question: what does accountability for 7 October look like, whoever wins?
Sources by lean
Balanced: the same number of articles from the left, the centre and the right (up to 3 each). The bar above still counts every rated outlet we found. Bias and factual ratings come from Media Bias/Fact Check. How we balance · All ratings.
Left 3
- Haaretz
Israel Elections 2026 • Last polls before election put Eisenkot ahead of Netanyahu as both lack majority - Middle East Eye
Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of elections - The Guardian
As a divided Israel prepares to go to the polls, can Netanyahu pull off his greatest political trick yet?
Centre 3
- France 24
Thousands rally in Tel Aviv against Netanyahu ahead of vote (paywalled or blocks bots) - Sky News
<a href="https://news.sky.com/video/could-palestinian-voters-tip-israels-election-13602356">'This is an extremist government': The Israeli Palestinians with the votes that could force Netanyahu out</a> (paywalled or blocks bots) - BBC News
BBC Radio 4 - From Our Own Correspondent, Israel elections: Netanyahu's big test
Right 3
- Jerusalem Post
Israel election poll: Opposition leads Benjamin Netanyahu bloc 54-48 - The Jewish Chronicle
Inside Israel, I see how little haters worldwide understand this election - The Telegraph
Tens of thousands fly into Israel to vote out Netanyahu (paywall)
Showing 3 from each side of 31 rated outlets (L 20 / C 6 / R 5). More coverage
Follow the money
Not yet researched. We haven't yet looked at who gains or loses financially from this story, or who funds the main voices on each side. When we do, we check company filings, the Electoral Commission donations register, lobbying registers, annual reports, InfluenceMap and OpenSecrets, and we apply the same checks to every side. How we follow the money.
Who owns or funds the outlets covering this story (27 outlets)
| Outlet | Lean | Ownership & funding (MBFC) |
|---|---|---|
| Haaretz | Left | According to the Financial Times, Haaretz does not report its earnings. They were also the first Israeli paper to introduce the paywall. For subscription fees, please see here. source |
| Associated Press | Centre-left | The Associated Press (AP) is a nonprofit news cooperative with a profit of $1.6 million in 2016. It also sells content to other media organizations. According to an article titled “ AP reports loss on one-time accounting charges,” t he Associated Press lost $74 million in 2017, and it states the reason as “mostly due to one-time accounting charges related to the federal tax overhaul passed late last year.” source |
| Axios | Centre-left | Cox Enterprises, a significant media conglomerate in the U.S, primarily own Axios. The outlet generates revenue primarily through advertising, native content, and sponsored newsletters. Unlike some outlets, Axios does not rely on subscription fees, allowing its content to remain widely accessible. source |
| Bloomberg | Centre-left | Michael R. Bloomberg is the founder and majority owner of Bloomberg LP (The parent company of Bloomberg News). According to Investopedia, Bloomberg Terminal (remote software used to access financial information) is the most expensive among financial data providers. source |
| CNN | Centre-left | No ownership data found |
| Channel 4 News | Centre-left | Channel 4 is owned by the nonprofit Channel Four Television Corporation. Advertising and licensing of their programs generate revenue. source |
| Deutsche Welle | Centre-left | The German government funds Deutsche Welle (DW). They state, “DW is financed via funding from the state – i.e., from tax revenue. This is in contrast to the domestic public channels, which are funded via broadcasting fees.” source |
| Middle East Eye | Centre-left | The Middle East Eye lacks transparency as it does not easily provide ownership information. The website requires that you find ownership information on their Terms and Conditions page, which indicates M.E.E Ltd is the owner. The website also does not indicate that Jamal Bessasso is the owner of M.E.E Ltd. source |
| NPR | Centre-left | According to a Columbia Journalism Review article dated 2010, a large portion of NPR’s revenue comes from dues and fees paid by Member stations and corporate sponsorships. In another article by Columbia Journalism Review, they state that as of 2017, NPR receives less than 1 percent of its total funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting(CPB). source |
| New York Times | Centre-left | The Ochs-Sulzberger family controls the New York Times through Class B shares. Since 1967, the company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol NYT. Class B shares are those that are held privately. source |
| Politico Europe | Centre-left | On 8/26/2021, German publisher Axel Springer purchased Politico and Politico Europe for a reported 1 billion dollars. Axel Springer owns numerous publications, including Bild, Business Insider, and Fakt. source |
| The Guardian | Centre-left | The Guardian and its companion publication, the Sunday newspaper The Observer, are owned by Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). Scott Trust Limited was created in 1936 to ensure the editorial independence of the publications and owns Guardian Media Group plc (GMG). source |
| The Herald (Scotland) | Centre-left | The Glasgow Herald is published by Herald & Times Group, which is owned by Newsquest Media Group Ltd. Newsquest is the second-largest publisher in the United Kingdom, publishing 205 brands including 165 newspapers. Further, Newsquest is owned by US-based Gannett which publishes USA Today. source |
| The Independent | Centre-left | The Independent is owned by Independent Print Limited, a company owned by the Lebedev family (Alexander Lebedev and his son Evgeny Lebedev). In 2017, Saudi Businessman Sultan Muhammad Abuljadayel bought a 30% stake in the Independent online newspaper. Advertising and subscription generate revenue for the paper..push({}); source |
| The National (Scotland) | Centre-left | The National is operated by Newsquest Media Group Ltd., a UK-based local media publisher. Newsquest is a wholly owned subsidiary of USA TODAY Co., Inc., the media company formerly known as Gannett Company, which also controls AZthe USA TODAY Network of national and local news outlets in the United States and regional titles in the United Kingdom. Revenue is generated from advertising and subscription sales source |
| Times of Israel | Centre-left | The Times of Israel is co-owned by David Horovitz and Seth Klarman. Revenue is generated through advertising..push({}); source |
| Washington Post | Centre-left | In 2013, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos bought The Washington Post for $250 million. Bezos is a frequent target of Trump, who has accused the businessman of using the Postal System as its “ Delivery Boy. ” The newspaper’s executive editor, Martin Baron, said Jeff Bezos, who founded Amazon, is not involved in its news coverage. source |
| Ynet News | Centre-left | Yedioth Ahronoth owns Ynetnews. Advertising derives revenue. source |
| BBC News | Centre | The BBC operates under a Royal Charter. Oversight is managed by the BBC Board, and regulatory authority rests with Ofcom. source |
| France 24 | Centre | France 24 is owned by France Médias Monde, a state-owned French holding company that supervises and coordinates the activities of the major public media organizations broadcasting or publishing internationally from France. Besides government funding, they also generate revenue through advertising. source |
| Semafor | Centre | The website was funded with $25 million in private capital. Advertising and sponsorships generate revenue. However, according to CNBC, Semafor will move to a paywall and subscription model within 18 months. source |
| Sky News | Centre | Sky News is owned by Comcast as of November 2018 and is funded through advertising. Rupert Murdoch is no longer affiliated with Sky News UK; however, Newscorp still has a share of Sky News Australia, which reports with a right-leaning bias. source |
| The Conversation | Centre | The Conversation websites are held by the not-for-profit educational charity owned by The Conversation Trust. The Conversation is funded by the university and research sector, government, and business..push({}); source |
| Jerusalem Post | Centre-right | In 1989, the paper was purchased by Hollinger Inc. for $17-million, which Canadian-born British Conservative Conrad Black owned. Conrad Black later was charged with “swindling his company, Hollinger International, of $60 million.” He was serving a prison sentence; however, in 2019, President Donald Trump pardoned him. source |
| The Jewish Chronicle | Centre-right | In 2020, The Jewish Chronicle was purchased by a consortium of philanthropists led by Sir Robbie Gibb and others, rescuing the paper from financial collapse. However, the full details of its ownership and funding remain unclear, as the financial backers of the consortium have not been fully disclosed. Speculation about involvement from figures such as billionaire Paul E. source |
| Newsmax | Right | Newsmax is owned by publicly traded Newsmax Inc., which began trading on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol NMAX on March 31, 2025. The company completed a $75 million public offering after previously raising approximately $225 million through a preferred-stock offering. source |
| The Telegraph | Right | Telegraph Media Group (TMG) owns The Telegraph, which is owned by Press Acquisitions Ltd., which in turn is owned by Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay. In 2004, Twin Brothers Sir David and Sir Frederick Barclay acquired the Daily Telegraph and the Sunday Telegraph from the Canadian media company Hollinger Inc. for £665 million. For a complete list of Board members, see here. source |
Social pulse
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Tens of Thousands Protest in Tel Aviv for October 7 Inquiry Days Before Election
Tens of thousands gathered at Hostages Square on Saturday, organized by survivors, former hostages, and bereaved families from the October Council, to demand a state commission of inquiry into security failures during the Hamas assault that killed 1,200 and took over 250 hostages. Protesters carried banners and cheered opposition leaders like Gadi Eisenkot, with chants hailing him as the next prime minister, amid a tight race ahead of Tuesday's vote. The rally, the latest in years of public pressure, highlighted deep frustration as polls show neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition securing a majority.
Updated 25 Oct 05:20 UK time · View on X
AI-generated summary of X posts, written by X. Not verified fact.
Netanyahu Urges Votes Only for Likud to Partner with Trump
In a video message ahead of Tuesday's election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned voters against smaller parties that might not pass the threshold, saying to vote only Likud to ensure success with Trump. Trump had endorsed him earlier this month as a 'Great Warrior Prime Minister' and key ally against Iran, though some in Trump's circle see benefits in a government without Netanyahu, per Axios reporting. Polls indicate Netanyahu's bloc is close but often short of the 61 seats needed in the 120-seat Knesset amid ongoing regional tensions.
Updated 25 Oct 00:10 UK time · View on X