Israel election ends in tie, leaving both sides short of a majority to rule

Israeli voters cast their ballots on Tuesday for the 25th Knesset, with early data indicating a stalemate between the two main political camps. Exit polls published by major television networks show Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing bloc and the opposition grouping led by Gadi Eisenkot both winning 51 seats. This result leaves both sides short of the 61 seats required to form a majority coalition government. Earlier polls released on Tuesday evening had shown Eisenkot leading by a slight margin, but the latest data points to a dead heat.

The Palestinian parties are projected to nearly double their representation in the legislature. Forecasts suggest the Joint List and Ra’am could win as many as 18 seats, up from the 10 they currently hold. Political experts note that if Eisenkot cannot secure a majority, he will likely be forced to negotiate with these groups. Such talks could take several weeks to conclude. Alternatively, Eisenkot may attempt to form a minority government that relies on informal, vote-by-vote agreements with other parties to stay in power.

Benjamin Netanyahu addressed his supporters at a rally in Jerusalem just after 3:00 a.m. on Wednesday. He claimed that official results would confirm Likud as the largest party in Israel. Netanyahu urged his base to establish a strong, right-wing national government and argued that a government relying on the support of Palestinian parties should not be formed.

Gadi Eisenkot spoke to cheering crowds in Tel Aviv, stating that the public voted against Netanyahu’s continued service as prime minister. He said a worthy leader would have accepted the results and announced his retirement from politics on the spot. Eisenkot also warned Netanyahu not to use the country’s security situation for political ends. He specifically cited fears that the prime minister might use the period of uncertainty to launch a new attack on Iran.

The exit polls were released after the Central Elections Committee rejected a last-minute request by Netanyahu and other parties to keep polling stations open past the 10:00 p.m. deadline. Netanyahu publicly suggested that the left and Arab voters were attempting to steal the election. The committee rejected that claim, stating it found no evidence of systematic tampering in the voting process. Israeli exit polls are often revised after publication and are known to be imprecise, with final counts sometimes swinging by several seats.

The next step will be the official count, which is expected to clarify the exact seat distribution. Both blocs will need to identify potential coalition partners to bridge the gap to the 61-seat threshold. The Palestinian bloc’s increased size will likely make it a central factor in any future government formation.