Exit polls show Eisenkot bloc with 52 seats against Netanyahu's 50 in tight Israel vote

Preliminary exit polls from Tuesday's election indicate a narrow victory for the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot.

Three major polls reported that Eisenkot's alliance of four parties captured a combined total of 52 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. The governing coalition of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured 50 seats.

Netanyahu's Likud Party remained the single largest political entity, while Eisenkot's Yashar party finished in second place. No individual party achieved the 61 seats required for an outright majority, necessitating a multi-party government.

Voting concluded at 10 p.m. local time, and election officials stated that final results could not be determined until Wednesday. If no single bloc secures a clear mandate, the formation of a new government could take days or weeks as party leaders negotiate alliances.

Shira Efron, an analyst at the Rand Corporation, assessed the preliminary figures as a strong result for the opposition. She told NPR that the most likely outcome is Eisenkot receiving the presidential mandate to form the government. Efron noted he might attempt to build a minority administration or negotiate with Arab-led parties.

The election marked the highest voter turnout in nearly four decades, according to Israeli election officials. This surge in participation occurred in the first parliamentary vote since the Hamas-led attack in October 2023 and the subsequent conflicts in the region.

Voters expressed divided views on the stakes of the contest. Naama Aaronsohn, a voter, described the election as critical for the country's future, stating, "I'm worried.. What's going to become of our country if there's not a major change?" In contrast, voter Itamar Ariel argued that security concerns made Netanyahu the only viable choice, despite domestic issues.

Arab citizens of Israel showed high participation, a factor that drew attention from Netanyahu. The prime minister posted on social media during the day, urging his right-wing base to vote and noting the high turnout among Arab citizens. Nur Abu Na, a 30-year-old nurse, said the current government treated Arab citizens unfairly and that her community needed to register its opposition at the polls.

Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister for nearly two decades across multiple terms, faces a tight race against Eisenkot, a center-right former military chief of staff. The two blocs are separated by a single seat in the preliminary counts.

The outcome of these negotiations will determine whether Israel continues with its current far-right coalition or shifts to an alternative leadership structure in the coming weeks.