Netanyahu faces setback as Israel election exit polls show no clear winner as

Initial exit polls suggested Eisenkot’s opposition bloc held a slight advantage, raising the prospect of a setback for Netanyahu after a high voter turnout. However, subsequent updates from Israel’s three major broadcasters showed the race tightening, with Netanyahu’s bloc drawing level with or edging ahead of the opposition.

Channel 12 News, Netanyahu’s right-wing and ultra-Orthodox bloc was projected to win 52 seats in the 120-member Knesset, compared with 49 seats for the bloc led by Eisenkot. Arab parties were projected to secure 19 seats.

The same projection gave Netanyahu’s Likud party 27 seats, ahead of Eisenkot’s Yashar party, which was projected to win 21. Meanwhile, exit polls released by Channel 13 and Channel 11 put the two main blocs level at 51 seats each, with Arab parties projected to win 18 seats.

Despite the variations between the polls, neither side appeared close to the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority, leaving the outcome uncertain and coalition negotiations likely to play a decisive role. Netanyahu Faces Electoral Setback.

The projections point to a potentially significant blow for Netanyahu, whose governing bloc previously held 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset. The latest Channel 12 figures suggest that support for his alliance could fall substantially.

Eisenkot said the election results reflected Israelis’ desire for political change, although the opposition’s ability to form a government remains unclear. The strong projected performance of Arab parties also drew attention, with the exit polls suggesting they could secure their largest representation yet.

Their role could become crucial if the opposition seeks to assemble a parliamentary majority. Coalition Talks Could Prolong Uncertainty. Final results were expected within 48 hours of the initial projections, but the formation of a government could take considerably longer.

With neither main bloc projected to command a majority independently, political leaders may face difficult negotiations to secure support from smaller parties. Possible outcomes include a minority government, a national unity arrangement, a prolonged parliamentary deadlock or another election if coalition talks fail.

The differing exit-poll projections also underscore the uncertainty surrounding the result. Although the latest figures showed Netanyahu’s bloc recovering some ground, they did not establish a clear path for either Netanyahu or Eisenkot to form a government.

The final distribution of seats and the positions adopted by smaller parties are expected to determine the next stage of Israel’s political negotiations.