Israel elections: PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc neck-and-neck with rivals in exit polls
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Exit polls from Israel’s election showed a neck-and-neck race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, with neither likely to secure a clear path to a governing majority, Al Jazeera reported.
The final results are expected by Friday.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is seeking another term after nearly three years of genocidal war on Gaza that began with the Hamas-led October 7, 2023 attacks.
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after Hamas killed 1,200 persons during its incursion into southern Israel and took hostages. Israel has been carrying out unprecedented air and ground strikes on Gaza since then, leaving at least 74,000 persons dead.
In the parliamentary elections, Netanyahu’s Likud was projected to remain the single largest party.
However, neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the Opposition bloc was projected to win the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
Arab-led parties, which are supported largely by Israel’s Palestinian minority, were projected to win 18 seats. Their support could become important in forming the next government.
If coalition talks fail and no government can be formed, another election could be held in coming months.
Edited by Anamika Pathak.
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