Overnight polls showing Netanyahu's bloc edging ahead set off a fight inside the change camp, with Eisenkot accusing Bennett and Lieberman of harming victory chances by refusing to unite behind a prime-ministerial candidate, drawing a counterattack over future partners including Ra'am.

Washington for a second year refused visas for Abbas and the Palestinian delegation to the UN General Assembly, forcing remote participation as the UN weighed options.

Attention turned to the Saudi-Houthi front with Reuters reporting Riyadh enlisted China to press Iran to restrain the Houthis, followed in the evening by U.S. approval to advance a sale of 48 F-35s to Saudi Arabia pending Congress, alongside Trump's remark to N12 that a big decision on Iran strikes was near. Domestically the High Court barred real-time voter reporting by party observers, and the IDF finalized dismissal of the Gaza Division intelligence officer for Oct. 7.