Israeli exit polls have projected around 50 seats for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc in the 120-seat Knesset, short of the 61 seats needed to form a majority.
While his Likud party is still projected to be the largest individual party in the election, the opposition bloc has moved ahead.
Gadi Eisenkot, former Israeli military chief and leader of the Yashar party, is leading the opposition challenge. He said tonight that the initial exit polls showed a “complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu” and his government.
Eisenkot said he would act to replace Netanyahu and claimed a mandate for change – however his bloc still lacks the seats needed to form a majority.
Exit polls have suggested that the main Jewish-led opposition alliance is tied with Netanyahu’s coalition at around 52 to 53 seats. Projections suggest that the opposition bloc and the Netanyahu camp could each secure 51 seats.
Arab-led parties are projected to win 17-18 seats collectively, a historically high result, and an improvement on their performance four years ago.
Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, has claimed that the Israeli people have “chosen change”.
He claimed that Netanyahu’s government has “lost the confidence” of the people and Israelis have shown that are “tired of lies.”
He pledged tonight to work with partners to “implement the people’s decisions and form a government that represents the entire society.”
“In these elections, where there was a high percentage of voters, it will be a mistake to rerun elections. It is my duty and the duties of everyone to be able to make the will of the people a reality,” said Eisenkot, insisting that he does not want a second election.
Opposition politician Yair Lapid said the Netanyahu bloc had suffered a “crushing defeat.”
President Isaac Herzog is to consult political parties is to consult political parties to decide whom to task with forming a government.
Pushing back, the Prime Minister’s camp emphasised that winning the most seats as an individual party does not automatically mean a leader can command a majority in the Knesset.
Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar cautioned against declaring a result prematurely.
“The left’s celebration is premature,” said Sa’ar, emphasising that the Likud remains the country’s largest party.
Netanyahu has not yet responded to exit polls.
Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest in more than two decades and roughly seven percentage points higher than in the 2022 election.