Netanyahu, Eisenkot Dead Heat; Arab Parties Kingmakers — SkimNews
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- Israel recorded its largest turnout in a generation on Tuesday, but preliminary exit polls produced a near tie: one showed Netanyahu’s alliance narrowly ahead, while two showed parity with Eisenkot’s opposition bloc.
- Netanyahu claimed Likud had emerged as Parliament’s largest party and demanded a “strong right-wing government,” while his alliance remained short of the 61 seats ordinarily needed to form a majority.
- Eisenkot declared “the public wants change,” called Netanyahu’s caretaker government one that had lost public confidence, and warned him not to use Israel’s security for political needs amid reports of renewed attacks on Iran.
- United Arab List and the Joint List were projected to win as many as 17 or 18 seats combined—their strongest showing ever—but Netanyahu ruled out a coalition with them and Eisenkot’s partners also balked.
- Herzog will invite the leader he thinks has the best chance to assemble a coalition once official results and parliamentary seats are settled; at least 61 lawmakers are usually required, though Eisenkot has floated a minority government.
- Special polling stations drew hundreds of thousands of votes at military bases, hospitals, prisons and embassies that exit polls did not reflect; in the previous election, those votes tended to favor Netanyahu’s coalition.
- Abbas said record Arab turnout reflected “frustration and despair” and made his first priority ensuring a chance to form a government to replace Netanyahu “in every possible way”; Arab citizens make up about 20% of Israel’s population.
Why it matters: A 61-seat majority is normally required, and neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot’s bloc has enough votes without Arab support or defections. The projected 17-18 seats for the United Arab List and Joint List give those parties kingmaker leverage, while Netanyahu’s exclusion of them leaves coalition arithmetic in tension with his right-wing pledge.
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