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Israeli exit polls show a deadlock and point to a setback for Netanyahu

Exit polls in Israel's key legislative election on Tuesday suggested no clear victor, with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and main rival Gadi Eisenkot falling short of a majority. Israel's Channel 13 news initially projected the opposition bloc would have the edge with 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, with Netanyahu's bloc set to win around 50. The three mainstream Israeli television networks later gave the two blocs each around 51 seats, well below the 61 needed to govern. Netanyahu's Likud party would be the largest single party, with 25 seats, according to Channel 13. Arab parties make gains Israeli Arab lists were projected to win 17 to 18 seats, a sharp gain, with some Israeli Arab communities reporting near-universal turnout driven by outrage to often derogatory rhetoric against them by Netanyahu's far-right allies. Key Israeli Arab leader Mansour Abbas said he believed the right had suffered a major loss and was open to working with Eisenkot. But Eisenkot said during the campaign he would not govern with Israeli Arab lawmakers -- and Netanyahu again suggested that a government relying on Arab votes would lack legitimacy. Arab lawmakers could give Eisenkot support in parliamentary votes to maintain a minority government without joining a coalition. If not, Israel could head to new elections. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters following the release of the first exit poll results in Israel's general election, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. - AP Photo/David Goldman Itamar Ben Gvir, a far-right firebrand who according to exit polls did not gain as much as many expected, warned Netanyahu against another option -- a unity government with Eisenkot. It would be a terrible mistake, said Ben Gvir, who champions the expulsion of Palestinians and would likely be excluded from any unity government. In a post on X, Eisenkot said the exit poll results showed a complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu and the October 7 government. Yair Golan, the leader of Israel's left-wing Democrats party, added that the public had spoken and ousted the Netanyahu government. But Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar warned that celebrations from the left were premature. One thing seems quite clear: The Likud is the largest party in Israel, he wrote on social media. Netanyahu and Eisenkot each claim mandate At an appearance early Wednesday, Netanyahu was upbeat and already trying to position himself to remain prime minister, listing off military achievements of the past three years. He called on his opponents to line up behind him and dismissed the idea of a partnership with Arab parties whose constituents make up 20% of Israel's population as treasonous. We must establish a strong, right-wing, nationalist government, said Netanyahu, who was facing off in the vote against his former military chief, centrist Gadi Eisenkot. We must not endanger Israel and establish a government that relies on anti-Zionist Arab parties. Israel has a unique opportunity with our partner President Trump to forever eliminate the existential threat of Iran, Netanyahu said. Gadi Eisenkot waves an Israeli flag onstage following the release of the first exit poll results in Israel's general election in Tel Aviv, Israel, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2026. - AP Photo/Baz Ratner Eisenkot, speaking to his own supporters in Tel Aviv, issued a veiled warning to Netanyahu, who observers say could use a war to push for a unity government. Netanyahu, don't you dare use Israel's security for your political needs, Eisenkot said. Addressing Israel's security establishment, Eisenkot said that they served the state and not Netanyahu, calling him a caretaker prime minister, without a mandate or the peoples trust. Turnout for the election - Israel's first since Hamas' 7 October 2023 attacks - hit over 77%, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee. Netanyahu had spent much of the day calling on supporters to get out and vote, painting the election as a matter of life and death. The vote is widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership. This article originally appeared on Euronews at https://www.euronews.com/2026/10/27/exit-polls-suggest-no-clear-victor-in-israeli-election

28 Oct 2026 10:18 am