First Israeli election exit polls show narrow edge for opposition

As Israel's elections concluded on Tuesday, the first exit polls indicated an opposition bloc with a narrow lead over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's camp, though neither side had secured an outright majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Channels 11, 12, and 13 estimated the opposition would claim 52 or 53 seats, while Netanyahu's bloc would secure 50, with Likud holding 24 or 25 seats.

Israeli Arab parties saw gains following high voter turnout among their communities. The polls projected the two Arab-majority groups, Raam and the Joint List, winning between 17 and 18 seats. In the previous election, Likud had obtained 32 seats, allowing it to form a coalition with right-wing factions despite corruption allegations against Netanyahu.

This time, mainstream right-wing parties pledged to cooperate with the main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party, projected to win 21 to 23 seats, to form an opposition coalition capable of ousting Netanyahu.

Eisenkot commented on the initial exit poll results, expressing a lack of confidence in Netanyahu and the government formed after the Oct 7 attacks. Yair Lapid, the opposition chief, described Netanyahu's bloc as suffering a "crushing defeat," while left-wing leader Yair Golan stated the public had "fired the Netanyahu government."

Although Raam and the Joint List are not part of the opposition bloc, they have indicated a willingness to support it. The high turnout on Tuesday reflected many voters perceiving the election as pivotal for Israel's future.