Israel election results show Netanyahu’s bloc edging ahead in a hard-fought race with Eisenkot
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Partial counts place Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc at 56 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's alliance at 49, while exit polls show a dead heat and suggest Likud may remain the largest party as coalition talks begin.
Partial results released by the Central Elections Committee show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc holding 56 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the alliance led by former Israeli military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot stands at 49 seats, with about 55 % of votes counted. Late-night exit polls from Channels 12 and 13 projected a near tie, each bloc expected to win roughly 51 seats, and suggested Likud could emerge as the largest single party with around 27 seats.
Eisenkot told supporters that the vote signaled a desire for change, saying, "This will be a new start. A real new start on a new path. The old era is over, and Israel is starting a new era." Netanyahu, addressing his base, emphasized Likud's lead and called for a "national right-wing government," adding, "What we’ve seen is that the Likud party is the largest party – nobody can compete with us. The second thing that is clear as well is that the right bloc has a majority. And it is a decisive majority."
The Central Elections Committee reported a voter turnout of 77.7 %, the highest since 1999, with military personnel participation exceeding 68 % and more than 60,000 Israelis voting from abroad. Arab-led parties are projected to win about 19 seats, up from 10, making them potential king-makers in a parliament where 61 seats are needed to form a government. Both leading blocs have historically ruled out coalitions with Arab parties; Netanyahu described such a partnership as a "disgrace and a shame."
Former ambassador Alon Pinkas warned that excluding Arab parties could complicate coalition building, noting that their votes may become decisive. After the final count, President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and nominate a candidate to attempt to form a government within 42 days. If no coalition emerges, the current cabinet will continue as a caretaker government and new elections could be called.