Updated Exit polls in Israel show Netanyahu’s bloc even with opposition, majority eludes all
Summary
Exit polls in Israel show Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition running nearly even, with neither side securing the 61 seats needed to form a government. Arab parties and smaller factions may hold the balance as coalition talks loom.
Key Points
- Updated exit polls put Netanyahu’s bloc and the anti-Netanyahu bloc at roughly even strength, leaving both short of a parliamentary majority.
- Mansour Abbas of Ra’am said his party is in contact with both camps and could consider supporting a government led by Gadi Eisenkot.
- Final turnout reached 77.7%, the highest at this hour since 1999, according to the Central Elections Committee.
- Smaller right-wing parties near the threshold could fail to enter parliament, further complicating coalition arithmetic.
