Netanyahu And Rival Both Claim Victory As Vote Counts Shift

Both Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival Gadi Eisenkot claimed victory on election night despite no clear winner emerging. As of Wednesday morning, 84.5% of the votes were counted with Netanyahu’s bloc holding 54 seats. This leaves them short of the 61 seats needed to form a majority in the 120-seat parliament.

The race remains tight as soldiers and diplomats still submit their ballots. These votes historically lean heavily toward right-wing parties like Likud. The final count could still shift the balance of power in favor of the right.

Two Sides, Two Stories

Netanyahu told his supporters that the right-wing bloc has a clear majority among Jewish voters. He insisted that forming a government with Arab parties is simply forbidden. Again I state, and stated before, that a powerful, national, right-wing government must be formed. That is what must be done, Netanyahu said.

His opponent Gadi Eisenkot spun the same results as a rejection of Netanyahu’s leadership. Eisenkot noted that Netanyahu’s bloc lost seats compared to the current parliament. “I stand before you deeply moved,” Eisenkot said late on election night. He argued that the public voted against Netanyahu continuing as prime minister.

Eisenkot warned that the coalition of failure has lost the people’s trust. However, he also cautioned that the final numbers are not yet in. “These are still only exit polls, and we must wait for the real results,” Eisenkot continued. The opposition faces a difficult choice if they want to govern.

The Arab Vote Changes Everything

Arab-led parties are set to win their largest share of the vote ever. The Joint List and Ra’am parties combined for 17 seats in the early count. This surge in turnout creates a major roadblock for any opposition coalition.

Analysts note that a Zionist coalition cannot comfortably govern alongside Arab lawmakers who dismissed the threat of Hamas. Eisenkot’s camp cannot rely on these parties without alienating their own right-leaning voters. This dilemma leaves Netanyahu in a strong position to wait out his rivals.

Netanyahu holds the cards because his opponents cannot assemble a majority alone. He can wait for soldiers’ ballots to increase his numbers or peel away defectors. The Daily Wire reported that his phone lines are open while rivals hesitate.