Opposition edges ahead in Israeli election exit polls — SkimNews
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- Opposition bloc secured 52 or 53 seats in the Knesset according to exit polls, edging out Netanyahu’s bloc at 50 seats but falling short of a majority.
- Likud won 24 or 25 seats, making it the largest single party in parliament, down from 32 in the previous election.
- Arab parties Raam and Joint List together won 17 or 18 seats, boosted by high voter turnout among Israeli Arabs.
- Yashar, led by Gadi Eisenkot, was projected to win 21 to 23 seats, positioning it as a central force in potential coalition talks.
- Yair Lapid declared Netanyahu’s bloc suffered a 'crushing defeat,' while Eisenkot said the results showed 'complete lack of confidence' in the current government.
- Raam and Joint List are not formal members of the opposition bloc but have signaled openness to supporting it in forming a government.
Why it matters: The opposition’s narrow lead shifts power away from Netanyahu after years of dominance, with Arab parties holding pivotal influence despite not joining the bloc. Their 18-seat combined total gives them leverage in government formation, marking a material change in Israel’s political calculus.
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