Israel Election Leaves No Clear Winner

In Tel Aviv, Israel, the results of Tuesday’s parliamentary election were still too close to call on Wednesday morning. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a lead over his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, in the official tally. However, the combined opposition groups had more votes than Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc. This outcome suggests many voters wanted a change in government.

Both leaders addressed their supporters overnight, each claiming an early victory. Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, told crowds, "We made history! The public has voted for change." Netanyahu countered that his bloc had a decisive majority among the Zionist public. The tight race now points toward weeks of political gridlock as parties attempt to form a government.

To win, a candidate needs to assemble a coalition of 61 lawmakers in the 120-seat Knesset. Arab voters, who make up about 20% of the population, could be kingmakers. Two Arab-led parties, the United Arab List and the Joint List, hold key seats. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have historically resisted partnering with these groups, complicating the math for either side.

Turnout for the election exceeded 77%, the highest in more than two decades. Tens of thousands of expatriates returned home to vote in the first election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack. The war in Gaza has dominated the campaign, with more than 74,000 Palestinians killed according to the Gaza Health Ministry. Netanyahu faces an international arrest warrant for alleged war crimes as Israel fights genocide charges.

Polls show Israelis remain divided on the war’s conduct. A July 2025 survey found that more than 67 percent of Israelis were not very troubled by the suffering in Gaza. Supporters of Netanyahu’s Likud party at his election night party in Jerusalem struck a defiant tone. One 24-year-old supporter, Ori Hazan, said the policy is to fight and kill those who attack. The party played videos of military action and clips of President Trump endorsing Netanyahu.

Eisenkot’s Yashar party includes center and moderate right figures. He has pledged not to join a government led by Netanyahu. Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party within Eisenkot’s bloc, urged his allies on X to partner with Arab parties. "We have no future here if we don't stop being afraid," Golan wrote. Mistrust of Arab political leaders has increased since the 2023 attack, making this coalition building difficult.

Election officials expect to finish counting votes, including ballots from soldiers, by Thursday afternoon. The winning candidate will then have six weeks to form a government. If neither side succeeds, Netanyahu may serve as caretaker prime minister until a repeat election next year.