Israel election results unclear as exit polls show narrow lead for opposition bloc
Exit polls suggest the opposition led by former IDF chief Gadi Eisenkot may win slightly more seats than Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud, leaving the formation of a new government uncertain.
Israel's parliamentary election on Tuesday produced no decisive winner, with exit polls indicating a marginal advantage for the opposition bloc headed by former Israel Defense Forces chief Gadi Eisenkot over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition. While Likud remained the largest single party, the polls projected Eisenkot's Yashar alliance to secure a few more Knesset seats, potentially giving Arab parties, expected to win up to 18 seats, kingmaker status.
The close result is likely to trigger weeks of negotiations to assemble a governing coalition, and could also lead to a caretaker government if no clear majority emerges. Opposition leaders, including former prime minister Yair Lapid, described the polls as a defeat for Netanyahu, while Eisenkot called them a “vote of no-confidence in Netanyahu” and pledged to act quickly to form a new government.
Voter turnout reached a historic 77.1%, the highest in five decades, driven in part by a record participation of Israeli Arab voters and an influx of citizens voting abroad. The Central Elections Committee rejected a request to extend polling hours, and rejected claims of systematic tampering by “the left and Arabs.”
Netanyahu, who faces a long-running corruption trial, warned of threats to the Jewish state and accused opponents of trying to steal the election. Eisenkot dismissed these accusations, accusing Netanyahu of “lies and fear-mongering” to mobilise his base. With the Knesset’s 120 seats up for grabs, both sides will need to court Arab parties and other centrist factions to achieve a governing majority.