Israeli voters delivered a sharp rebuke Tuesday to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in national elections, exit polls indicated, with his opponents appearing to capture a solid majority in the next parliament.
Even if the exit polls are borne out, the opposition may find it difficult to form a government to replace Netanyahu. The easiest path would involve his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, partnering with Arab-led parties, but that could prove politically difficult and potentially alienate other opposition factions.
The exit polls released by major Israeli TV stations suggested that Netanyahu’s bloc won 50 seats, the opposition won 52-53 and Arab parties won 17-18. That would set the stage for weeks of political jockeying before a prime minister is declared — or another round of elections is called.
Eisenkot said the exit polls show a “lack of confidence” in the current prime minister. Arab voters celebrated the exit polls while supporters of far-right parties aligned with Netanyahu expressed disappointment.
Like all surveys, exit polls are subject to potential error. Preliminary results are expected in the coming hours. Final results are expected in the coming days and may vary from the exit polls.
