Israeli Vote Tally Leaves Netanyahu and Eisenkot in 55-50 Stalemate

Israel’s Central Elections Committee reported a 55-to-50 split between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and challenger Gadi Eisenkot’s coalition as of Wednesday’s count. This projection leaves both leaders short of the 61 seats required to command a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. The remaining 15 seats are projected to go to Arab parties, a grouping that complicates the path to government for both camps.

The partial results reflect a fragmented political field. Netanyahu’s nationalist-religious coalition previously held 68 seats, making the current projection a numerical setback. However, the stalemate allows the 77-year-old leader to remain in office as caretaker prime minister. He will hold this position during potentially lengthy coalition negotiations or until a new election is called.

Both leaders have rejected the prospect of governing with Arab parties, which campaigned heavily against Netanyahu and his far-right allies. Eisenkot, who leads the Yashar party, has largely ruled out including these parties in his government as well. Within Netanyahu’s bloc, the far-right religious parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are projected to secure a combined 13 seats, indicating no major gains for either figure.

Speaking to supporters at Likud headquarters in Jerusalem after 3 a.m. local time, Netanyahu called for the formation of a strong, right-wing national government. He cited Israel’s military successes and proposed renewed joint action with U.S. President Donald Trump against Iran. Netanyahu stated that Israel faces a singular historical opportunity to remove the existential threat of Iran once and for all.

Trump, who endorsed Netanyahu, described the race as pretty close from a campaign trip in Texas. He suggested his endorsement helped and said Netanyahu might be winning or tied. The U.S. president called a tie a sort of win, characterizing the election as a big chess match.

Eisenkot argued that voters rejected Netanyahu’s continued tenure and urged him to retire from politics. He described the prime minister as a caretaker without a mandate or the people’s trust. The former military chief also asked the security establishment to stand firm against efforts to prioritize political interests over national security.

Turnout reached 77.7 percent, the highest level in more than two decades. This figure sits about seven percentage points above the 2022 election. Given Israel’s fragmented system, smaller parties hold potential kingmaker roles, a dynamic that has extended past coalition talks into weeks or months. Eisenkot opposed the possibility of another election, citing the high voter participation.

Eisenkot, 66, lost a son and two nephews in the Gaza war. He entered politics four years ago and served in Netanyahu’s war cabinet for eight months after the 2023 Hamas attack before quitting over leadership disagreements. He positions himself as a centrist domestically while maintaining a hawkish security stance, opposing Palestinian statehood and arguing that Hamas’ military wing must be destroyed or dismantled.

The election followed the trauma of October 7, 2023, when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, according to Israeli government tallies. Subsequent wars with Hezbollah in Lebanon and with Iran have dominated the political landscape. Netanyahu has faced criticism for the security failure but argues he made the region safer by eliminating top leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran.

Definitive results are expected by Thursday. The distribution of seats is likely to shift as the remaining ballots are tallied, potentially altering the leverage held by smaller parties in the upcoming negotiations.