Overview
- Elections held Tuesday resulted in no bloc reaching the 61‑seat majority needed to govern, according to preliminary exit polls.
- The Likud was the single largest party but Gadi Eisenkot's anti‑Netanyahu bloc led by a slim margin in early returns, creating the stalemate.
- Arab parties recorded an unusually high turnout and were credited with about 17 seats in exit polls, positioning them as potential kingmakers.
- Benjamin Netanyahu has ruled out forming a coalition with the Arab parties while Eisenkot has not excluded talks, so negotiations and alliance choices will determine the next prime minister.
- Voting day took place under visible security and wartime conditions and posted record‑high turnout by 20:00, signaling heightened public engagement that could reshape Israeli politics and daily life for Arabs, settlers, soldiers and civilians.