Netanyahu’s legacy on the line as Israelis head to elections this week

When Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, it looked like Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s days in office were numbered. With the country overwhelmed by grief and anger after the deadliest security breakdown in its history, his resignation seemed like a matter of time.But the divisive veteran Israeli leader has scratched, scraped and literally battled his way back during a stormy three-year period of nonstop domestic crises and wars across the region. Confounding his critics, he now finds himself in a tight race for reelection on Tuesday.Netanyahu has been the country’s most dominant politician for nearly two decades, and his legacy is on the line. A poor showing could end the 77-year-old’s lengthy career on a bitter note and open the door to a new era in Israeli politics. A victory would cement his image as the ultimate political survivor. Story continues below advertisement Former Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a onetime ally turned rival of Netanyahu, said there has never been so much at stake — from national security to the future of Israel’s democratic institutions and its standing in the world. After a series of wars that have destabilized the region and jolte...