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Votes were counted in Israel's general election (120 seats, proportional representation system) on the 27th. Exit polls carried out by multiple local TV shows that neither the ruling nor opposition parties are able to secure a majority. This general election was the first since October 7, 2023, when the Palestinian armed group Hamas led an attack on Israel, and in response, Israel began its offensive against the Palestinian Gaza Strip.
According to exit polls from Israel's three major television networks, neither the ruling coalition, which combines Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party and far-right religious parties, nor the opposition coalition, which is united in opposition to Netanyahu, are expected to fall short of a majority.
Two television companies announced in the early hours of the 28th that the ruling party camp would win 51 seats, while the opposition camp, centered on Yashar, a centrist new party led by Gadi Eisenkot, former chief of staff of the Israeli military's top uniformed group, would also win 51 seats. Meanwhile, Channel 12 predicts that the ruling party will win 52 seats and the opposition camp will win 49 seats.
The two Arab parties are expected to gain a record 18 to 19 seats, and the actions of these two parties are expected to have a major impact on future developments.
According to Israel's Central Election Commission, the turnout in this year's Israeli general election reached 77.7% as of 10pm local time, when voting closed. It is said to be the highest at the same time since 1999.
Official voting results are expected to be announced in the evening. Approximately 600,000 absentee ballots, mostly from military personnel, account for about 10% of the total number of votes cast, and counting will not be completed until the 29th.
Once the final results have been determined, the Israeli president will consult with all parties and request the leaders of the parties he deems most likely to form a coalition government to form a government. This process could take several weeks.
If this fails to form a coalition government, another election may eventually be necessary.
At the headquarters of Eisenkot's Yashar party, supporters cheered and chanted "Bibi, go home!" after the first exit poll published by public broadcasters KAN, Channel 12 and Channel 13 predicted that the opposition would become the strongest force in parliament, winning between 52 and 53 seats to the ruling coalition's 50. "Bibi" is Netanyahu's nickname.
Eisenkot said they had "made history" and vowed to "make sure that the people's judgment is reflected in the Zionist government - a government that is stable and good for all Israeli citizens."
Former Prime Minister Yair Lapid, who heads the Yashar-aligned Beyahad party, said Netanyahu's camp had suffered a "catastrophic defeat."
Meanwhile, there were no signs at the Jerusalem headquarters of Netanyahu's Likud party that they were admitting defeat, although some admitted they were nervous.
"It's not over until it's over, but I'm breaking out in a cold sweat," one supporter told the BBC.
Netanyahu's ally, Foreign Minister Gideon Saar, said the leftist camp's celebration was "premature." Meanwhile, far-right politician and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on supporters of his far-right Jewish Power party to pray that the final outcome would lead to a "fully right-wing government."
Prime Minister Netanyahu later appeared at Likud party headquarters and declared that his right-wing bloc had won a "huge majority." He also called for the establishment of a "strong right-wing national government."
Netanyahu also criticized Israel's inability to be led by a government supported by "support from Arab political parties."
Image provided by EPA
Netanyahu went on to stress that, together with US President Donald Trump, Israel has a "unique opportunity to completely eliminate the Iranian threat."
In June 2025, Israel and the United States conducted a joint attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. They also jointly attacked Iran at the end of February this year. Since then, the conflict with Iran has continued.
Many commentators believe that Israel's current policy of involvement in a war with Iran is unlikely to change, whether Netanyahu's or Eisenkot's camp comes to power in Israel.
Focus on two Arab political parties
Two Arab parties, the United Arab List (Ra'am) and the Joint List, are expected to gain several seats in parliament in this election. The high turnout among Arab Israelis, who make up about 20% of Israel's population and often describe themselves as Palestinian citizens of Israel, led to the breakthrough.
Both parties are shaping up to be in control of the casting boat in this election, but only one party has openly stated that it will cooperate with both parties in a coalition government.
"We hope that with the participation of us, the Transformation Bloc, and the United Arab List, we will be able to secure 61 seats (for a parliamentary majority)," said Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List.
After the 2021 general elections, the United Arab List joined a coalition government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, but that government resigned a year later.
Youssef Jabareen, head of the Joint List, warned that collaboration with him "couldn't be ignored in any political scenario."
Issues and voters
The elections were the first to be held after the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel and the ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.
In addition, this election was seen by Israelis as one of the most important in the country's history, as it could affect not only the choice of leaders and political parties, but also whether Israel continues on its current path of hardline religious nationalism.
Key issues in the election included accountability for the security lapses that led to the October 7 attacks, how to conduct regional conflicts, how to share the growing burden of military service, judicial reform, and Israel's standing in the international community.
Outside a polling station in an opposition-supportive area of northern Tel Aviv, campaign workers, young and old, gathered in droves, working until the last minute to secure every last vote.
Zivit Abramson, 88, told the BBC he voted for Eisenkot because Netanyahu was "ruining this country".
"He (Netanyahu) only cares about himself. He really only cares about himself," Abramson said.
Meanwhile, Claire Tugendaft said she voted for Netanyahu because "I think he is the best person in this country to lead this country abroad."
The prime minister and his ruling party campaign urged their supporters to head to the polls, warning of a surge in turnout among left-wing and Arab voters.
"If we don't vote, tomorrow morning we will have a leftist government, an Arab party, and a radical Islamic group, and we will lose this country," Netanyahu said in the video.
The Likud party and several right-wing parties called for voting to be extended until after 10pm local time. Many opposing camps saw this as a sign of the ruling party's sense of urgency.
However, the Central Election Commission ultimately rejected this request, stating that ``the current situation does not justify extending voting hours'' and that the high turnout ``reflects the strong commitment of the people to the democratic process.''
Who is Mr. Eisenkot?
Eisenkot, who leads the centrist party Yashar, is a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces. A pillar of his campaign has been demanding accountability for the security failures that led to the October 7 incident.
His popularity is partly due to his record in the military, but also because he is a relatively new politician, having first formed the Yashar party in September last year.
Eisenkot lost his son, a soldier, in the early days of the Gaza war. He served in Netanyahu's wartime cabinet, but resigned in 2024 over the prime minister's handling of the conflict.
Eisenkot's position on the Gaza issue is not significantly different from Prime Minister Netanyahu's. He recently pledged to end Hamas' rule in the Gaza Strip within 18 months, either through a U.S.-led peace plan or, if necessary, by military means.
Eisenkot generally supports Israeli settlements in Palestine, but opposes the controversial E1 settlement plan, which he says would effectively split the West Bank in half.
Forming a government in Israel
No single party in Israel has ever won a majority in parliament, so coalition governments have always been formed.
The coalition process begins after the votes are counted. After consulting with the leaders of each party, the Israeli president requests the formation of a government from the leaders he deems most likely to form a government.
Nominated candidates will have 28 days to form a coalition government, but can request a 14-day extension if they need more time.
If no deal is reached within this period, the president can nominate another candidate and ask that person to try to form his own coalition government.
If that fails, Knesset members can request the president to give a third leader a chance to form a government. If that is also unsuccessful, another general election will be held.
From 2019 to 2022, Israel held five general elections as parties repeatedly failed to forge cooperative relationships.
In the 2022 general election, Prime Minister Netanyahu's Likud won 32 out of 120 seats and became the largest party. He then formed a coalition with several far-right parties, giving him and his coalition partners a majority of 64 seats.
(English article Israeli exit polls suggest no clear winner in pivotal general election / Israeli exit polls suggest no clear winner with Eisenkot's bloc neck and neck with Netanyahu)
