🇮🇱 Israel count: Netanyahu bloc pulls ahead overnight, still short of majority With 72% of ballots co

🇮🇱 Israel count: Netanyahu bloc pulls ahead overnight, still short of majority

With 72% of ballots counted, Netanyahu's bloc stands at 54 seats, Eisenkot's at 48, and the Arab parties at a record 18. Likud is the largest party with about 27 seats, ahead of Yashar at 21 and the Joint List at 12.

The first exit polls had Eisenkot narrowly ahead, but the count has swung toward Netanyahu through the night. Even so, his camp is far below the 68 seats it held in the outgoing Knesset and 7 short of a majority.

Opponents of Netanyahu together hold around 66 seats, but only if the Arab parties are counted, and Eisenkot ruled out governing with them during the campaign, as did his ally Avigdor Lieberman. Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas says both blocs have approached his party.

Both men vowed overnight to form the next government. Final results will take days, after which President Isaac Herzog will hand the mandate to one of them. If neither can build a coalition, Israel heads to yet another election with Netanyahu as caretaker prime minister.

🔴 @DDGeopolitics