Exit polls show no clear winner in Israel's vote

Israelis cast their ballots on Tuesday, and early projections indicate a fragmented parliament with no single leader holding a secure grip on power.

Exit polls from Channels 11, 12, and 13 released on Tuesday night show that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his challenger Gadi Eisenkot has secured the 61 Knesset seats required for a majority.

Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win approximately 50 seats, while the opposition coalition is expected to take between 50 and 53 seats. This near parity suggests that neither side can form a stable government without additional partners.

Likud, Netanyahu’s party, is set to remain the largest force in the legislature with a projected 24 to 25 seats. Eisenkot’s Yashar party is expected to win between 21 and 23 seats, making it the primary challenger for the premiership.

The Arab parties, comprising the Joint List and Ra’am, are projected to win a combined 17 to 18 seats. These numbers could make them decisive in coalition talks, although opposition leaders have largely ruled out joining a government with Arab parties, with the exception of Yair Golan’s Democrats.

Two small right-wing parties, People of Israel and The Reservists-Economic, are projected to fall below the 3.25% threshold. If they fail to enter the Knesset, the seat count for Netanyahu’s bloc will shrink, further complicating his efforts to build a majority.

Voter turnout reached the highest level recorded since 1973, according to the Central Elections Committee. The official results will be known only after all ballots are counted, but the current projections point toward a period of intense negotiation or the possibility of a repeat election.