Israel election leaves no clear winner as Netanyahu bloc leads

No clear winner emerged from Israel's national election as votes were counted on Wednesday morning in Bexar County's time zone. Exit polls released by major Israeli television stations indicated that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political bloc nor that of his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats needed for a majority in the Knesset. The inconclusive result suggests weeks of negotiations among parties to form a governing coalition.

With 60% of votes counted, official data from Israel's Central Elections Committee showed Netanyahu's Likud party holding 21.4% of the vote. Eisenkot's Yashar party trailed with 16.2%. The count did not yet specify the final seat distribution in parliament. Netanyahu remains the interim caretaker head of government until a new coalition is declared.

President Isaac Herzog now faces the task of selecting a candidate to form a government. Although his role is largely ceremonial, Herzog must choose the person he believes is best placed to lead the coalition process. While Likud has the most votes so far, it is not required to task Netanyahu with forming a government. Some in Israel argue that choosing a different leader might help bridge the sharp polarization that has characterized recent years.

The election results come as the country remains divided over Netanyahu's leadership and the aftermath of the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. A strong showing by Arab parties has intensified domestic debates. An analysis in the Haaretz news outlet noted that Arab citizens participated heavily in a political arena that often seeks to exclude them. The outlet warned that excluding these parties from government formation could damage the future of the democratic bloc.

U.S. President Donald Trump commented on the results on Wednesday from Joint Base Andrews in Maryland. He disputed the notion that Netanyahu was heading toward defeat. "I'm hearing that he did very well," Trump told reporters. "I actually heard he did pretty well." Trump noted that it was early and that he had not yet spoken with Netanyahu, although he had endorsed him late in the campaign.

In Jerusalem, Netanyahu addressed supporters past 3 a.m. Wednesday. He stated that exit polls indicated Likud would be the largest party in the next parliament. He pledged to finish the job against Iran's regime and said no government should rely on Arab parties. In Tel Aviv, Eisenkot celebrated what he called a referendum on leadership. He pledged to form a government and promised a new era of hope for Israelis.

Military personnel played a large role in the voting process. The Israeli military reported a turnout of 79.9% among its ranks, an increase of more than six percentage points from the previous election. Hundreds of thousands of military votes are still pending count. Some polling stations were located in combat areas.

In Belgrade, Serbia, a guard shot and killed an unidentified assailant armed with knives outside the Israeli Embassy early Wednesday. Serbian Interior Minister Ivica Dacic said police are treating the incident as a terrorist attack. The attacker, described as a minor, shouted Allahu Akbar during the assault. The guard, who was lightly wounded, acted in self-defense, and police have raised the terror threat to the highest level.