29.10.2026 15:47
Polling stations closed in Israel's general elections held after four years, and the initial results are in. According to exit polls, the ruling bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained at 50 seats and lost its parliamentary majority, while the opposition bloc led by former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot moved ahead with 52 seats. However, neither bloc reached the 61 seats needed to form a government. This picture put the Arab parties, expected to win 18 seats, in a key position.
In Israel, polls closed and vote counting began in the first general election held after the war and genocide in Gaza. In the election, where turnout approached 75 percent, exit polls announced by Israel's state television KAN showed that the ruling bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost its parliamentary majority. However, the opposition bloc, which was leading the race, also failed to reach the number of seats needed to form a government.
ELECTION TURNOUT APPROACHED 75 PERCENT According to data announced by Israel's Central Elections Committee, as of 20:00 local time, election turnout was recorded at 74.3 percent. Of 7,331,981 registered voters, 5,449,277 went to the polls. This was the highest turnout rate seen since 1973.
OPPOSITION BLOC LEADING BUT FAILED TO SECURE MAJORITY According to exit polls reported by state television KAN, the opposition bloc led by former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot won 52 seats, while the far-right ruling bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained at 50 lawmakers.
Thus, neither bloc reached the 61 lawmakers needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
PARTIES REPRESENTING ISRAELI PALESTINIANS IN KEY POSITION The Joint List, formed by the Hadash, Taal and Balad parties representing Israeli Palestinians, won 11 lawmakers, while the Raam Party (United List) led by Mansour Abbas will be represented in parliament by 7 lawmakers. With this result, the Arab parties reached a key position by sending 18 lawmakers to the 120-seat parliament.
LIKUD FIRST, YASHAR SECOND PARTY The Likud Party led by Netanyahu came first with 25 lawmakers, while the Yashar Party led by Gadi Eisenkot came second with 21 seats.
The number of lawmakers for the Together List of former prime ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid in the opposition bloc fell from 14 to 13. The Democrats Party led by Yair Golan won 10 lawmakers, while former Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu Party won 8 lawmakers.
The Shas Party, representing Ultra-Orthodox Jews in the ruling bloc, and United Torah Judaism remained at 6 seats each. Among Netanyahu's far-right allies, Itamar Ben-Gvir's Jewish Power Party won 7 lawmakers, while Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism Party won 6 lawmakers.
EISENKOT TO NETANYAHU: DON'T YOU DARE USE ISRAEL'S SECURITY FOR YOUR OWN POLITICAL NEEDS Gadi Eisenkot, former Chief of Staff and leader of the opposition bloc leading the race in exit polls for the general election held in Israel after a four-year gap, addressed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Stating that voters voted against Netanyahu's government, Eisenkot said, 'The Israeli people voted against Netanyahu continuing his duty as Israeli Prime Minister. Tonight, Netanyahu finds himself facing a much broader and stronger mainstream Zionist majority.'
Eisenkot directly warned Netanyahu, whom he described as a transitional prime minister who no longer has authority and trust, using the words, 'Netanyahu, don't you dare use Israel's security for your own political needs.'
'I WILL ACT IMMEDIATELY FOR A NEW GOVERNMENT' Eisenkot, who also made a post on his US-based X platform account, argued that the exit polls showed that the vast majority of Israeli citizens 'do not trust Netanyahu and the October 7 government.'
Eisenkot said, 'I will act immediately to implement the people's will without delay, replace the Netanyahu government, and establish as soon as possible a Zionist government that advocates mandatory military service for everyone.'
Gadi Eisenkot FORMER PRIME MINISTER BENNETT: WE HAVE ALREADY BEGUN TALKS AND COORDINATION Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett argued that Netanyahu's government emerged defeated from the elections.
Bennett used the following statements in his announcement: 'We will do everything we can to establish a Zionist government based on alliance. Netanyahu lost; the October 7 government will be sent away! The coalition made up of draft dodgers fell from 68 seats to 50 seats.'
Noting that the results were not yet final, Bennett said, 'We will patiently wait for the official results, because many things can still change. But already now, as the leaders of the change bloc, we have begun talks and coordination.'
LAPID: NETANYAHU SUFFERED A CRUSHING DEFEAT Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, another leader of the Together List alongside Bennett, said, 'Don't let anyone confuse you. The Netanyahu bloc suffered a crushing defeat. This is a complete collapse, and the people told them to go home.'
Naftali Bennett- Yair Lapid SMOTRICH REJECTED THE OPPOSITION'S CELEBRATIONS Far-right Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich rejected the celebrations and statements by opposition leaders that the bloc supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had been defeated after exit polls for the general election were announced.
According to a report in Israel's The Times of Israel newspaper, Smotrich addressed supporters at the Religious Zionism Party's election headquarters in Jerusalem.
Referring to the biblical term used for the occupied West Bank, Smotrich said, 'We will not allow your celebration. They are celebrating because they think they will succeed in reversing our settlement revolution in Judea and Samaria (the name Jews give to the West Bank).'
Arguing that the opposition in Israel would not achieve its goal, Smotrich threatened, 'They will not succeed. Jewish settlements will rise in Gaza.'
Bezalel Smotrich FORMER DEPUTY CHIEF OF STAFF GOLAN CALLS FOR COALITION WITH ARAB PARTIES Yair Golan, leader of the opposition Democrats Party in Israel and former Deputy Chief of Staff, made a statement calling for Arab parties to be included in the coalition that the opposition would form against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government.
According to a report in the Israel-based Haaretz newspaper, Golan made assessments after voting ended in the general elections.
Golan said, "Every lawmaker elected through democratic and legal processes is a legitimate part of our political system," and called for the inclusion of parties representing Palestinian Arabs in the coalition.
Pointing out that the far-right government in Israel must change, Golan commented, "If there is a democratic majority that will change the destruction government, we must do it."
Yair Golan COALITION SCENARIOS ON THE AGENDA Because the bloc supporting Netanyahu or opposition parties failed to reach the number of seats needed to form a government, coalition uncertainty has once again emerged in Israel.
After the elections, scenarios for a coalition government took their place on the country's agenda. In Israel, which is governed by coalition governments and is frequently associated with early elections, three scenarios stand out after yesterday's general elections.
FIRST SCENARIO: MINORITY GOVERNMENT UNDER EISENKOT'S LEADERSHIP At the top of the scenarios being voiced in Israel is a minority government to be formed under the leadership of Yashar Party leader Eisenkot.
According to exit polls, the number of seats for Eisenkot and the parties likely to support him is shown as 52, which does not reach the number needed to form a coalition government. In this case, it is said that a minority government could be formed with parties supporting this bloc from outside.
In this scenario, attention turns to parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel. The Raam Party, led by Mansour Abbas, had supported the coalition led by Bennett-Lapid to oust Netanyahu. With Abbas's outside support, a coalition government was formed in partnership between Bennett and Lapid. However, even if Abbas supports the bloc led by Eisenkot, the number of lawmakers remains at 59, which is not enough to form a government.
Therefore, for the bloc under Eisenkot's leadership to form a minority government, it also needs the support of the Joint List. Whether the Joint List will provide such support, or whether Eisenkot will accept a minority government supported by Palestinian-origin citizens, remains uncertain for now.
Gadi Eisenkot SECOND SCENARIO: ROTATING PRIME MINISTERSHIP BETWEEN NETANYAHU AND EISENKOT Another scenario stands out as Netanyahu and Eisenkot agreeing on a rotating prime ministership and forming a national unity government. In this scenario, it is mentioned that Likud, Yashar, Beyahad (Together) Party, the Democratic Party, and the Haredi Shas and United Torah Judaism parties would come together to form a broad-based national unity government.
These parties, expected to win 81 seats in total, have more lawmakers than the number required to form a coalition government, but there are still many question marks in this scenario too.
Because Eisenkot had frequently stated in his statements before the elections that he would not sit at a coalition table with Netanyahu. In addition, Eisenkot wants the Haredim (Ultra-Orthodox Jews) represented by Shas and United Torah Judaism, which would be part of this Lapid-Bennett national unity government, to be subject to mandatory military service.
Shas and United Torah, for their part, say they have long opposed this bill and will not take part in a government that seeks to pass it.
POSSIBLE ATTACKS ON IRAN COULD BE DECISIVE IN A COALITION GOVERNMENT Although it seems difficult for the parties in question to come together for a national unity government, it is stated that a possible attack on Iran could change the balance.
If Tel Aviv, together with the United States, resumes possible attacks on Iran, there are comments that Eisenkot could join a national unity government with Netanyahu under pressure from both US President Donald Trump and Israeli public opinion.
FINAL SCENARIO: NEW EARLY ELECTION The third scenario voiced in Israel stands out as the country going to an early election again if the parties fail to reach an agreement on forming a coalition government.
PRESIDENT HERZOG WILL TASK THE CANDIDATE HE SEES AS STRONGEST WITH FORMING THE GOVERNMENT After the final results are announced, President Isaac Herzog will task the candidate he sees as closest to forming a coalition with forming the government.
The person tasked with forming the government will have 28 days for coalition negotiations expected to be tough, and if necessary, 14 more days can be added to this period.
If the person tasked by the president cannot form a government, the president can consult again and task another person within the Knesset with forming a government. This person must form a coalition within 28 days. If a government still cannot be formed, a 21-day period begins for a person from within the Israeli Knesset to collect the signatures of 61 lawmakers. If 61 lawmakers are secured, this person must form the government within two weeks. If they cannot, the Knesset is dissolved and the country must go to elections within 3 months.
Isaac Herzog The country had gone to early general elections five consecutive times between 2019 and 2022 due to similar coalition disputes.
With the polls closing at 22:00 local time on October 27, vote counting began, and final results are expected to be announced by November 4 at the latest after the evaluation of any objections.
.