Israeli exit polls show 51-51 deadlock, forcing coalition talks

Exit polls released by major Israeli television networks indicate that Benjamin Netanyahu’s governing bloc and the opposition coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot are tied at 51 seats each. Neither group has secured the 61 seats required to form a majority government. Earlier projections from Tuesday evening suggested Eisenkot held a slight edge, though analysts note that Israeli exit polls are often revised and can shift by several seats in the final count.

The Palestinian parties are expected to see a sharp increase in representation, with forecasts predicting up to 18 seats, compared to the 10 held previously. If Eisenkot fails to reach a majority, experts say he will likely need to negotiate with the Joint List and Ra’am to build a governing coalition. This process could take weeks. Alternatively, Eisenkot might attempt to run a minority government relying on informal, issue-by-issue agreements to maintain support.

Netanyahu addressed his supporters in Jerusalem just after 3 a.m. on Wednesday, asserting that official results would confirm Likud as the largest party in Israel. He called for a strong, right-wing national government and argued that any coalition dependent on Palestinian parties should be avoided.

In Tel Aviv, Eisenkot told cheering crowds that the public had voted against Netanyahu’s tenure as prime minister. He stated that a worthy leader would have accepted the vote of no confidence and announced his retirement from politics that day. Eisenkot also warned Netanyahu not to use Israel’s security for political ends, citing fears that the prime minister might exploit the period of uncertainty to launch a new attack on Iran.

The polls were released after the Central Elections Committee rejected a last-minute bid by Netanyahu and other parties to keep polling stations open past the 10 p.m. deadline. Netanyahu publicly suggested that the “left and Arabs” were attempting to steal the election. The committee dismissed the claim, stating it found no evidence of systematic tampering.

The final seat count will determine whether Israel faces a prolonged period of coalition negotiations or an immediate shift in power. The current stalemate leaves both major blocs without a clear mandate to govern alone.