Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed that his right-wing bloc secured a “clear, decisive majority” and called for a “right-wing, national, strong government”, even as exit polls suggested that neither his camp nor the opposition led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot had secured the 61 seats required to form a majority in the 120-member Knesset.In his first reaction to the exit poll projections, Netanyahu addressed supporters at Likud’s election headquarters in Jerusalem, saying his party remained Israel’s largest political force and insisting that the right-wing bloc had enough support to govern.“What we’ve seen is that the Likud party is the largest party and nobody can compete with us,” he said. “The second thing that is clear as well is that the right block has a majority. And it is a decisive majority.”“We need to form a national right-wing government,” he added, arguing that Israel should not depend on Arab-led parties, which he described as being “against our existence”.Netanyahu also criticised television channels for projecting stronger results for opposition parties and accused them of discouraging his supporters from voting. He attacked what he called “criminal political investigations” into him.Turning to Iran, Netanyahu said Israel was facing a significant strategic opportunity alongside Washington.“Iran is weaker than ever, Israel is stronger than ever,” he said. “Israel is facing a historic, one-time opportunity along with our friend President Trump” to “remove the Iranian threat once and for all”.He also said, “We have been able to overcome our enemies, and we will be able to in the future.”The prime minister’s claims came after exit polls released by major Israeli television stations projected around 51 seats each for Netanyahu’s bloc and Eisenkot’s camp, with Arab-led parties winning about 18 seats. The projections remain preliminary and could change as official counting progresses.The vote count has already begun. Once counting at polling stations is complete, officials will turn to the “double envelopes” – ballots cast by soldiers, diplomats, doctors and nurses who cannot leave their posts to vote in person. Around 600,000 such envelopes are in the count, and while they do not usually alter the overall outcome significantly, shifting exit polls have added to the uncertainty.Netanyahu’s Likud could emerge as the largest single party, but the broader political arithmetic leaves the formation of a government uncertain. His coalition, which previously had 68 members, had weakened over the past year amid disagreements, including over exemptions from military service for ultra-Orthodox Jews.Eisenkot, meanwhile, said the exit polls indicated a “lack of confidence” in Netanyahu and pledged to form a government.“Today, Israel went out to a referendum over the leadership that will lead Israel in the coming years,” he said. “The people decided in favor of change.”Promising “a new era — an era of hope”, Eisenkot warned Netanyahu not to “dare use Israel’s security for your political needs” while serving as caretaker prime minister.Turnout exceeded 77 per cent, the highest since 1999, according to Israel’s Central Elections Committee. The president will now be tasked with identifying the party leader best placed to assemble a governing coalition.
