By Basant El-Faramawy
Israeli exit polls released on Tuesday night indicated no clear winner in the country's general election, setting the stage for weeks of coalition negotiations after a historic turnout that saw record participation by Arab voters.
Exit polls show opposition lead
Projections suggested the opposition bloc led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot would win the most seats in the 120-member Knesset by a slim margin, edging out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing and far-right coalition. Netanyahu's Likud party remained the largest single faction, but his overall bloc appeared to fall short of a governing majority.
High turnout and Arab voter surge
Voter turnout reached 77.1% by 6 p.m., a rise of about 9% over the previous election and the highest in 50 years. More than 7 million Israelis were eligible to vote. Israeli Arab parties were projected to win up to 18 seats, potentially making them kingmakers in coalition talks. Turnout in Arab towns surged, reversing a history of election boycotts.
Netanyahu's challenge and corruption trial
The election was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's nearly 17 years in power, a period marked by the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the ensuing war in Gaza that has killed over 74,000 Palestinians, conflicts with Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran, and expanding settlements in the West Bank. Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, campaigned with apocalyptic rhetoric, warning that the Jewish state faced ruin without him.
Coalition prospects uncertain
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot face difficult paths to a majority. Eisenkot ruled out partnering with Arab parties before the vote, while Netanyahu's far-right allies have demonized those same parties. The Central Elections Committee rejected a last-minute bid by Netanyahu to extend polling hours and dismissed his claims of election theft. With the political landscape fragmented, the shape of the next government remains unclear.
