Israeli voters cast ballots in their highest numbers in over two decades during a tense national election on Tuesday to decide whether to retain Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his far-right coalition or choose new leadership. Early exit polls after voting closed at 10 p.m. local time showed a tight race between Netanyahu and his top challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, a center-right former military chief of staff.
Record Voter Turnout and Community Responses
The Central Elections Committee reported that 77.7% of voters participated by the time polls closed, marking the highest turnout since 1999. Enthusiasm was especially strong among citizens eager to replace Netanyahu, who is Israel’s longest-serving prime minister with nearly two decades in office.
Voter Naama Aaronsohn described the election as crucial, expressing worry about the country’s future without a major change. Conversely, supporter Itamar Ariel stated that despite existing problems, no one else can replace Netanyahu, emphasizing that his vote focused on national security. Turnout was also strong in majority-Arab areas. Nur Abu Na, a 30-year-old nurse, told NPR that she views the current government as racist against Arab citizens and believes community participation is vital because the administration is harmful to everyone. Throughout the day, Netanyahu warned his followers via social media about the high number of voting Arab citizens and urged right-wing supporters to cast their ballots.
Exit Poll Results and Opposition Outlook
According to major exit polls, Netanyahu’s Likud Party won the most seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar party placed second, though no party secured a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. The bloc of opposition parties led by Eisenkot appeared to capture a combined 52 seats, edging out Netanyahu’s coalition with 50 seats. Shira Efron, an Israeli policy analyst at the Rand Corp. think tank, told NPR that the results represent a very good outcome for Eisenkot and his newly formed party, suggesting he will likely receive the mandate from the president to form a government as a minority or through an alliance with Arab politicians.
Supporters at Eisenkot’s election party in Tel Aviv cheered as exit polls aired, though opposition supporter Ophelie Namiech noted that the complex results require patience before a full picture emerges. Meanwhile, at the Likud election night party in Jerusalem, giant screens displayed militaristic videos alongside images of President Trump shaking hands with Netanyahu. Trump has publicly endorsed Netanyahu, and the two leaders plan to launch major attacks against Iran following the Israeli and U.S. midterm elections. Netanyahu supporter Elie Pieprz expressed confidence that the prime minister has a history of pulling ahead when needed, believing voters will ultimately choose unity and continuity to lead the nation through wartime.
Vote counting will continue on Wednesday, and the final electoral map may shift as political negotiations unfold.
