By Fatma Younis
Israel's parliamentary election has produced a deadlock, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc holding a narrow lead but failing to secure a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, according to partial results released Wednesday.
Election results and seat projections
With more than 72 percent of ballots counted, Netanyahu's right-wing bloc was projected to win 54 seats, while the grouping led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot trailed with 48 seats. Both fall short of the 61 seats required for a governing majority, setting the stage for prolonged coalition negotiations.
Record voter turnout
Turnout reached 77.7 percent, the highest in over two decades, with 5.69 million eligible voters casting ballots on Tuesday, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee.
Trump claims credit for Netanyahu's performance
Former U.S. President Donald Trump took credit for Netanyahu's stronger-than-expected showing, sharing a statement on Truth Social attributed to Irving C. Schwartz that said his endorsement had "turned the tide" in the prime minister's favor.
Competing claims from rival leaders
Addressing supporters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu called for a "strong, right-wing national government" and said the election presented a "historic opportunity" to eliminate the Iranian threat. Eisenkot, speaking in Tel Aviv, declared that voters had chosen change and urged Netanyahu to retire from politics, warning against using security institutions for political gain.
Attack on Israeli embassy in Serbia
In a separate incident, Serbian police said an unidentified minor shouting "Allahu Akbar" attacked a guard with knives outside the Israeli embassy in Belgrade just after midnight. The assailant was shot dead by police; Interior Minister Ivica Dacic described it as a terrorist attack and said the attacker was a supporter of the Islamic State group.
Harassment of politicians on election day
Several Israeli politicians reported harassment during voting. Knesset candidate Yair Golan was confronted by a man with a knife, while Haredi politician Moti Leitner said he was jeered and threatened by a crowd.
