Eisenkot says Netanyahu's political career is over as Israel exit polls show tight race

TEL AVIV — Israeli opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to retire from politics early on Wednesday, saying voters had rejected his rule. Exit polls from Tuesday's election showed neither bloc winning a majority.

Eisenkot, who leads the centrist Yashar party, spoke to supporters at the party's headquarters in Tel Aviv. He said Israelis had voted for change and promised to work with his partners to form a government representing all sections of society, according to Anadolu Agency.

"It would be a mistake to hold another election, and it is my duty to do everything possible to carry out the will of the people," he said.

Eisenkot acknowledged that final results had not been announced. He said Netanyahu nonetheless faced a larger and stronger "Zionist majority" opposed to his continued rule.

"Do not dare use Israel's security for your political needs." — Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party

Message to security chiefs

Eisenkot also addressed Israel's security leadership. He reminded them that Netanyahu was heading a caretaker government and said their duty was to serve the public. "Remember that you serve only the interests of Israel's citizens," he said. He urged them to stand firm against any attempt to pressure them and offered his support.

He said the era of division and incitement was over. According to Anadolu, he pledged to form a Zionist government focused on military conscription.

Exit polls show no clear winner

The vote was the first in Israel since the 7 October 2023 attacks and the wars that followed in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, according to BBC News Arabic. The campaign took place amid political divisions and criticism of Netanyahu over security failures before the attacks and his handling of the war.

Early projections from Israeli channels 11, 12 and 13 gave the opposition bloc led by Eisenkot 52 to 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. They gave Netanyahu's bloc about 50, according to BBC News Arabic.

The estimates shifted overnight. Updated polls from Channel 11 and Channel 13 showed the blocs level, BBC News Arabic reported, citing Reuters. Anadolu said the updated Channel 13 poll put each bloc at 51 seats, with 18 for Arab parties. Channel 12 pointed to a slight lead for Netanyahu's bloc, according to Reuters as cited by the BBC.

Channel 14, which is seen as supportive of Netanyahu, projected 60 seats for his bloc. That is one short of the 61 needed for a majority.

None of the projections gave either side a clear majority. Exit polls are projections, not official results.

Netanyahu's response

Netanyahu did not declare victory. Speaking to supporters in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday, he said, "We must form a strong right-wing government," according to BBC News Arabic. He said the "Jewish and Zionist majority" must unite.

He ruled out relying on Arab parties. "There is no possibility of a government supported by the Arab parties," he said.

Netanyahu noted that exit polls indicated his Likud party would be the largest single party. Early estimates gave Likud 24 or 25 seats, compared with 32 in the 2022 election, the BBC reported.

He also spoke about Iran. He said Israel had a "unique opportunity", working with US President Donald Trump, to end the Iranian threat permanently. During the campaign he had stepped up threats of new strikes on Tehran, according to BBC News Arabic.

Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said the opposition's celebrations were premature, the BBC reported.

Other opposition leaders

Opposition leader Yair Lapid described the results for Netanyahu's bloc as a "crushing defeat". He said "Netanyahu and his government collapsed today" and called for a new government to be formed. Democrats party leader Yair Golan said Israelis had "toppled" Netanyahu's government and called the result a "historic opportunity".

These statements do not settle who will be the next prime minister. It remains unclear whether either bloc can build a majority coalition, according to BBC News Arabic.

Turnout and Arab parties

The Central Elections Committee said turnout was 77.7% when polls closed. That is the highest at that point since 1999 and 7.1 percentage points above 2022. According to Reuters, as cited by the BBC, 5,695,682 people voted.

Arab parties made notable gains in the polls. The United Arab List (Ra'am), led by Mansour Abbas, and the Joint List, led by Yousef Jabareen, were projected to win 17 to 18 seats combined. They won 10 in the previous election. Later estimates pointed to a possible 19, which would be a record if confirmed, the BBC reported.

What happens next

Channel 12 reported that President Isaac Herzog was expected to task Eisenkot with forming the next government. Anadolu said the decision would depend on the official results and on the recommendations of parliamentary parties. This has not been confirmed.

Preliminary results are expected on 28 October, and official results are due on 4 November, according to BBC News Arabic. About 600,000 absentee ballots, mostly cast by soldiers, will not be fully counted before Thursday. Coalition talks could last weeks or months, the BBC said.

Background

Netanyahu has led Israel's government through the war in Gaza and the conflicts with Lebanon and Iran that followed the 7 October 2023 attacks. Critics have faulted him over the security failures that preceded the attacks and over his running of the war, according to BBC News Arabic. This election is the first public test of that criticism at the ballot box.

Eisenkot is the main challenger to Netanyahu for the post of prime minister, according to Republika. Vote counting began after polls closed at 10 pm local time on Tuesday, according to Anadolu.