Israel’s election deadlock: No clear winner in Israeli election, exit polls say. Netanyahu may lose power, but his opponents still can’t form a government

Live Updates and coverage: No clear winner in Israeli election, exit polls say
Here’s the latest
• No clear winner: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, appear short of outright victory, exit polls indicate. Turnout was highest since at least 1999.

• Slump for Netanyahu: The prime minister’s bloc is projected to collapse from 68 seats in the previous Knesset to 50 seats, according to Israel’s Channel 12 News. Eisenkot’s bloc had 52 seats, while the exit polls suggest Arab parties have a record 18 seats. Outright victory requires 61 of the Knesset’s 120 seats.

• What’s next: Officials will be immediately counting votes. Final results are expected over the next 48 hours, but it could take days or even weeks for coalition building to take place.

https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/27/world/live-news/israel-elections-live-results-latest-votes-intl

🚨🇮🇱 Three Israeli TV networks with three updated exit polls arrive at the EXACT same result

Netanyahu's bloc: 50 seats.
Jewish opposition: 52 seats.
Arab-led parties: 18 seats.

Neither major bloc reaches the 61 seats needed to govern alone.

Netanyahu hasn't lost power, but he… pic.twitter.com/UKUqg0XnRt

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) October 27, 2026

Exit polls show Netanyahu’s bloc falling to about 50 seats

Israel’s exit polls put Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc at 52–53 seats, against roughly 50 for Netanyahu. Arab-led parties could win another 17–18 seats. Nobody is close to the 61 needed to control parliament, and Eisenkot has ruled out a formal coalition with Arab parties. So even if Netanyahu’s bloc loses, the opposition may not be able to replace him.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israel-election-what-happens-after-polls-close-2026-10-27/

https://www.axios.com/2026/10/27/netanyahu-eisenkot-israel-election-exit-polls

On election day, Netanyahu warned supporters that Arab voters could help bring a government led by Arab politicians to power. His far-right allies also sounded the alarm over turnout in Arab communities. That became part of the election fight itself, as the very voters who could decide the coalition arithmetic were also being used to mobilize Netanyahu’s base.

https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/netanyahu-warns-arab-voter-surge-israels-election-arab-leaders-call-tactic-racist-2026-10-27/

Five opposition leaders agree to work toward removing Netanyahu

The opposition parties signed a non-aggression pact, putting aside their ideological differences to try to end Netanyahu’s rule. But they did not erase their differences over who they would work with after the election. That is now the problem: they can agree that Netanyahu should go and still fail to agree on the government that replaces him.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/10/17/the-israeli-politicians-seeking-to-replace-netanyahu