Israel Election Results 2026: Netanyahu vs Eisenkot, Exit Polls Show Deadlock

Israel Votes, But Who Will Govern? Netanyahu's Likud Emerges as Largest Party While Coalition Arithmetic Clouds the Result

Millions of Israelis have voted in an election shaped by war, national security and demands for political change. Yet the ballot may have answered only one question: how divided the country's political landscape remains.

JERUSALEM | OCTOBER 28, 2026

The voting booths have closed. The exit polls are out. And Israel still does not know who will lead its next government.

In an election widely viewed as a major test of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's leadership, the country's voters have delivered an uncertain parliamentary picture.

Initial television exit polls released after voting ended at 10 p.m. on October 27 indicate that neither Netanyahu's governing alliance nor the main opposition grouping led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has secured an outright majority.

Netanyahu's Likud party is projected to remain the largest individual party in the Knesset.

But the opposition bloc has performed strongly enough to challenge his ability to assemble another governing coalition.

At the same time, increased support for Arab-led parties has added another layer of complexity to the political arithmetic.

The result is an election in which winning the largest number of seats as a party may not be sufficient to retain power.

The decisive question is no longer simply which party finishes first. It is who can assemble the parliamentary support required to govern.

Exit Polls Show a Political Deadlock

The first exit polls from Israel's major television networks suggested that Netanyahu faced a difficult coalition challenge.

According to public broadcaster Kan's initial projections, the main blocs were divided as follows:

• Netanyahu-aligned parties: 50 seats.
• Eisenkot-led Jewish-majority opposition bloc: 53 seats.
• Arab-led parties: 17 seats.

Channel 12's initial poll showed a similar picture, with Netanyahu-aligned parties projected at 50 seats, the main opposition at 52 and Arab-led parties at 18.

However, revised projections changed overnight, and some later counting updates showed a closer or different balance between the blocs.

These differences underscore the uncertainty of exit polling in a fragmented parliamentary system.

None of these estimates should be described as final election results.

Israel Election 2026: Initial Exit-Poll Seat Projections

Kan public broadcaster, October 27, 10:09 p.m. local time. Illustrative of the initial exit poll, not the official count.

Initial projected seats by political grouping

The figures represent different political groupings rather than a forecast of which combination will form a government. Arab-led parties are not automatically part of Eisenkot's governing coalition.

Why Netanyahu Could Still Remain Prime Minister

Israel's electoral system is based on proportional representation.

Voters select party lists, and the 120 Knesset seats are allocated according to the election results and applicable electoral rules.

No single party is required to win the largest share of the popular vote to form a government.

Instead, parties typically negotiate alliances to reach a parliamentary majority.

This means Netanyahu could remain prime minister if he manages to secure sufficient support from other parties.

Conversely, Eisenkot could become prime minister if he assembles a viable coalition.

If neither succeeds, Israel could enter a prolonged period of negotiations or eventually hold another election.

In the meantime, Netanyahu remains prime minister in a caretaker capacity.

Gadi Eisenkot Emerges as Netanyahu's Main Challenger

Former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot has become one of the central figures in the contest.

Leading the centrist Yashar party, Eisenkot has positioned himself as an alternative to Netanyahu's long-serving leadership.

His campaign focused on governance, national security and the need for political change following years of conflict.

The first Kan exit poll projected approximately 21 seats for Yashar, compared with 25 for Likud.

Channel 12's corresponding figures were 22 for Yashar and 24 for Likud.

These numbers indicated that Eisenkot's party was challenging Likud for electoral support while leaving government formation dependent on alliances.

Former prime minister Naftali Bennett also remains an important figure, with his B'Yachad party projected to hold a meaningful number of seats.

A Significant Election for Arab-Led Parties

One of the most notable developments has been the strong performance projected for Arab-led political parties.

Initial exit polls placed their combined representation at approximately 17–18 seats, potentially giving them considerable influence in the next Knesset.

Early reporting also indicated unusually high participation among Palestinian citizens of Israel.

This matters because neither of the main Jewish-led political blocs appears capable of securing a majority independently.

However, the extent of Arab-led parties' influence will depend on final results, their own political decisions and whether other parties are willing to negotiate parliamentary arrangements with them.

Such arrangements could involve formal coalition membership, external support or decisions on parliamentary votes.

No specific governing arrangement has been confirmed.

The Latest Counting Trends

By Wednesday morning, preliminary official counting had begun to replace exit-poll estimates.

With approximately 40% of ballots counted, the Central Elections Committee's reported vote shares included:

These were partial popular-vote figures, not final Knesset seat allocations. The final parliamentary composition could change as more ballots are counted, including special ballots.

The October 28 revised exit polls also differed: Channels 11 and 13 indicated a 51–51 bloc tie, while Channel 12 projected 52 seats for Netanyahu-aligned parties and 49 for the main opposition grouping.

Record Turnout Reflects the Stakes

Israel recorded voter turnout of approximately 77.7%, according to the Central Elections Committee—its highest level in more than two decades.

The election was the country's first parliamentary vote since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks and the subsequent regional wars.

Issues shaping the vote included Netanyahu's leadership, accountability for security failures, the handling of the Gaza war, the conflict with Iran and Israel's economic and diplomatic direction.

The turnout suggests strong voter engagement, though it does not by itself establish support for any particular political leader or policy.

Netanyahu and Eisenkot Offer Competing Visions

In his election-night response, Netanyahu called for a strong right-wing government and emphasised Israel's security challenges.

He also rejected forming a government reliant on Arab-led parties.

Eisenkot, meanwhile, argued that the election demonstrated a desire for political change and called for a new direction in national leadership.

Both leaders have framed the emerging results differently, reflecting their opposing political objectives.

Neither interpretation substitutes for a completed official count or a successful coalition agreement.

What Happens After the Vote Count?

Israel's President Isaac Herzog will play an important constitutional role once the results are finalised.

After consultations with parliamentary parties, he will assign a candidate the responsibility of attempting to form a government.

That individual does not necessarily have to lead the largest party.

The candidate must negotiate sufficient parliamentary support to establish a functioning government.

The process can take several weeks. If attempts to form a coalition fail, further constitutional procedures may ultimately lead to another election.

Reporting indicates that the formal election results are expected to be finalised in early November, with November 4 cited as the scheduled date.

Why the Election Matters Beyond Israel

The outcome could influence Israel's domestic politics and international relations, particularly regarding Gaza, the occupied West Bank, Iran and relations with the United States.

However, a change in prime minister would not necessarily produce immediate changes across every policy area.

Coalition agreements, parliamentary support and national-security considerations would shape the actions of any new government.

For India and other countries maintaining diplomatic and economic relationships with Israel, the principal issue will be the policies adopted by the eventual government rather than the identity of the largest party alone.

The Next Critical Developments

The official count remains the most important immediate development.

Attention will then move to the distribution of Knesset seats, whether smaller parties cross the electoral threshold, the recommendations made to President Herzog and the negotiations between competing political groupings.

The possible influence of Arab-led parties will be a particularly important part of the discussion, given their projected representation and the apparent lack of a majority for either main bloc.

Conclusion: The Election Has Ended, but the Battle to Form a Government Has Just Begun

Israel's October 27 election has left Benjamin Netanyahu facing one of the most complicated coalition calculations of his political career.

His Likud party appears to have performed strongly, but the opposition under Gadi Eisenkot has also secured substantial support.

Arab-led parties could influence the parliamentary balance, while neither major bloc has demonstrated a clear path to 61 seats.

The election-night numbers may determine the composition of parliament. The negotiations that follow will determine who governs Israel.