Israel election exit polls show tight race between Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs

Exit polls from Israel's parliamentary election on Tuesday show a neck-and-neck race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc and the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, with neither side projected to secure the 61 seats needed for a governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

Channel 12 projected Netanyahu's bloc would win 52 seats versus 49 for Eisenkot's Yashar party, while Channel 13 showed the two blocs tied at 51 seats each. Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the largest single party with an estimated 27 seats, compared to 21 for Yashar. Arab parties collectively were projected to win 19 seats, building on their 2022 performance.

Turnout reached 77.7 percent of eligible voters, the highest since 1999 and up 7.1 percentage points from the 2022 election. The Central Elections Committee said more than 60,000 Israelis returned from abroad to vote, and turnout among soldiers exceeded 68 percent by late afternoon.

Both leaders claimed momentum. Eisenkot told supporters the public had voted for change and declared "the old era is over." Netanyahu insisted his Likud party is dominant and called for a "national right-wing government," asserting the right bloc holds a "decisive majority." He also accused Israeli television channels of trying to suppress his voters by projecting stronger opposition results.

Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said his party was projected to win seven seats and vowed to continue expanding Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir praised his Otzma Yehudit party's performance. Opposition figures Yair Golan and Mansour Abbas said voters had rejected Netanyahu and pledged to work toward a new government.

Arab politicians accused Netanyahu of inciting hatred against Palestinian citizens of Israel to mobilize right-wing voters. Netanyahu posted on X describing Arab voters as "Muslim Brotherhood supporters" and accusing them of "raiding the polling stations and stealing the elections."

After final results are certified, parties will negotiate to form a coalition. President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and nominate the candidate he believes can form a government, who then has up to 42 days to do so. If no coalition emerges, Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister and new elections could be called. The final vote tally is expected by Friday, with official results published on November 4.

Source: Al Jazeera.