Rivals in Israel Election Strike Tone of Triumph, but Outcome Is Far From Clear

What the report says

Israel’s election produced no immediate winner, even as both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of an opposition bloc, claimed momentum in late-night remarks to supporters. The New York Times reported that exit polls suggested the two camps were running roughly even after Israelis voted in unusually large numbers on Tuesday, with official counting expected to take days.

The result appears to leave neither bloc with an easy route to a governing majority. According to the report, both sides may need support from Arab parties projected to win a significant share of seats, though Netanyahu has ruled out including them in his coalition and Eisenkot’s camp has also resisted that option. Analysts are also weighing whether any kind of unity government could emerge, but the article noted major political barriers to such an arrangement.

Netanyahu, speaking after midnight, said his Likud party appeared to be the largest in parliament and called for a strong right-wing government. Eisenkot said the public wanted change and criticized Netanyahu’s leadership. The Times noted that Israel’s president will eventually ask the party leader judged most likely to assemble a coalition to try to form a government.

The election carries added weight because it was the first national vote since the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, and because it may shape Israel’s approach to the Gaza war, relations with Arab parties, and the role of far-right forces in the next coalition.