By Basant El-Faramawy
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political future hung in the balance on Tuesday after exit polls indicated neither his right-wing bloc nor the opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot secured a parliamentary majority in the country's general election.
Exit polls show no clear majority
Israeli broadcasters projected Netanyahu's Likud party would win 24 seats, while Eisenkot's Yashar party would take 22. However, the opposition bloc was forecast to hold 52 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, two more than the ruling coalition, leaving both sides short of the 61 seats needed to govern.
Record turnout reflects war judgment
Turnout surged to 74.3 percent by 8 p.m., the highest at that hour since 1988, as Israelis delivered their first verdict on Netanyahu's handling of the wars in Gaza and Iran since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks. Netanyahu, 77, had warned of an 'emergency' and urged right-wing voters to turn out, while Eisenkot, 66, campaigned on replacing the longtime leader.
Coalition negotiations ahead
With no clear path to a majority, both leaders will need to assemble a workable coalition. The stalemate could allow Netanyahu to remain as caretaker prime minister during prolonged negotiations, and another election cannot be ruled out if a government cannot be formed.
Allegations of ballot tampering
Eisenkot's Yashar party filed a complaint with the Central Elections Committee, alleging systematic disruption including missing or damaged ballot slips marked with their symbol 'Derech'. Voters also reported missing ballots for the right-wing Haredi Public party in several cities. Shin Bet director David Zini said the election proceeded smoothly despite acknowledged attempts to undermine the system.
Stabbing attempt on opposition figure
Separately, the centre-left Democrats party said a man was arrested after allegedly trying to stab their leader, Yair Golan, a former IDF deputy chief of staff, at a campaign event in Tel Aviv. Police described the suspect as a homeless man and said it did not appear he intended to harm Golan.
Trump reiterates support for Netanyahu
Ahead of the vote, U.S. President Donald Trump declared his 'complete and total' support for Netanyahu, calling him 'strong, brave and brilliant' and warning that America would have to act against Iran itself if Israel chose a different leader.
