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Israelis have changed. Will they change their leader?

Up First from NPR · NPR

Oct 18, 2026 · 38 min

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Israelis will vote in national elections next week. It’s the first vote since the Oct. 7 Hamas attacks and the Gaza war. Many Israelis call it the most important vote in their country’s history.

On this episode of the Sunday Story, NPR’s Daniel Estrin reports on Israelis and how they’ve changed after three years of wars across the Middle East. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, one of the world’s most controversial and consequential leaders, is seeking a seventh term. A former military chief of staff is his main challenger.

Now, as Israel faces a global backlash for its destructive war in…

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