Updated 43 mins ago - World

Israeli exit polls: Netanyahu bloc loses, but Eisenkot's short of clear majority

Barak Ravid

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu casts his ballot, next to his wife Sara, at a polling station in Jerusalem on Tuesday. Photo: Yonatan Sindel/AFP via Getty Images

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition is projected to lose its parliamentary majority, but his opponent Gadi Eisenkot's bloc is short of 61 seats, according to Israeli exit polls.

The exit polls show Eisenkot's bloc with 52 to 53 seats, Netanyahu's with 50, and Arab parties with 17 to 18.

Why it matters: If the election results match that poll, Eisenkot would have to try to swear in a minority government supported by the two Arab parties. It's unclear whether all of his political partners would agree to do that.

It would also mean that Netanyahu's coalition shed 14 seats from the 64 seats it won in the 2022 elections.

What they're saying: Eisenkot said that the exit poll results "point to an unequivocal lack of confidence in Netanyahu and the government responsible for Oct. 7, on the part of the Zionist majority and the majority of Israeli citizens. If these results hold, it will be a victory for Israel's Zionist, pro-state majority."

He added, "I will act immediately to implement the people's verdict, replace Netanyahu's government, and establish a Zionist government committed to military service, as soon as possible."

Driving the news: The exit poll results came after voters flocked to polling stations throughout the day, with turnout reaching a four-decade high. It was the culmination of a campaign that each side warned would lead to catastrophe if the other side won.

An Eisenkot-bloc victory would offer Israel a chance to reset its strained relationships abroad and chart a new course domestically. The former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, however, vowed to maintain a hawkish approach on security matters.

Yes, but: Though Eisenkot's bloc outpaced Netanyahu's, the incumbent prime minister's Likud Party received one to two more seats than Eisenkot's Yashar Party, per the exit polls.

But because Israel has a parliamentary system, the bloc totals are what ultimately matter.

Go deeper: Israeli turnout hits four-decade high

Add Axios on Google

Israeli exit polls: Netanyahu bloc loses, but Eisenkot's short of clear majority

What to read next