120-seat Knesset leaves Israel with no clear winner

Israeli election officials expect to complete the vote count by tomorrow afternoon. The race remains in a deadlock, with neither side holding a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Voters cast ballots on Wednesday. The result is the first national election since the October 7 attack. No single party or bloc has secured the 61 seats required to form a government.

The Knesset consists of 120 members. Because Israel has many political parties, candidates must assemble a coalition. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot both need to gather 61 seats to take office.

Early exit polls showed Eisenkot with an advantage. Supporters at his campaign headquarters celebrated through the night. One supporter, Mayan Eshel, said she was filled with optimism. She expressed hope that Israelis would wake up to a new day of democracy and peace.

The situation reversed overnight. Netanyahu pulled ahead in the final tallies. By morning, the race was too close to call. Both candidates gave speeches in the early hours of the day.

Eisenkot delivered what NPR correspondent Daniel Estrin described as a premature victory speech. He warned Netanyahu not to use Israel's security for political needs. Eisenkot specifically cautioned against striking Iran during this transitional period. Netanyahu had campaigned on the promise of such an action.

Netanyahu addressed his supporters and said he would try to form the next government. He stated that Israel needs a strong, right-wing government. He said that is what must be done.

Arab-led parties performed strongly in this election. They have indicated they want Eisenkot to be the next prime minister. However, much of Eisenkot's camp has resisted forming a coalition with Arab parties. This reluctance stems from mistrust and criticism of Arab political leaders following the October 7 attacks.

The next step is coalition building. The candidate who finishes first in the vote count gets the initial opportunity to form a governing coalition. That candidate has six weeks to secure a majority. Both Eisenkot and Netanyahu are expected to work to attract defectors from the other camp during this period.