Israel elections: Can Netanyahu turn security gains into a political victory?

People walk past a Likud party campaign billboard featuring Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside opposition party leaders and bearing the Hebrew slogan "Right or Palestine," ahead of Israel's general election, in Beni Brak, Israel (AP Photo) Three years after the October 7 attack, Benjamin Netanyahu faces a crucial electoral test over security, political accountability and the direction of Israel.Donald Trump’s endorsement and the unresolved confrontation with Iran have raised the stakes, but a divided opposition may struggle to turn its challenge into power.Israelis vote on Tuesday, October 27, in the country's first general election since Hamas's October 7, 2023, terrorist attack. The outcome could determine whether Bibi, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, extends his political career or loses power after three years of war and domestic turmoil.The final opinion polls suggest a close contest. Surveys published by Israel's three major television networks on Friday put Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party ahead of Netanyahu's Likud. Yet neither the prime minister's coalition nor the main opposition bloc is projected to secure the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 1...