Good morning to those celebrating, and to those who aren’t.
After a night full of twists and turns, Netanyahu’s bloc is leading Eisenkot’s bloc, alongside a massive Arab bloc.
According to the exit polls, Netanyahu leads 52–49, but with 28% of the votes counted, the results stand at 59–46–15 in favor of Netanyahu’s bloc. The gap is expected to narrow, as the vote count is currently skewed toward areas dominated by the right-wing bloc.
The Change Camp has suffered a major defeat, and its chances of forming a stable government appear slim. On the other hand, Netanyahu currently has no clear path to forming one either.
Even before the exit poll results shifted, Lieberman refused to rule out a government with Ra’am and demanded Netanyahu’s resignation. Bennett did not address the issue, while Eisenkot delivered a victory speech at the very moment the exit poll projections were being updated.
In his speech last night, Netanyahu called for the formation of a broad right-wing government but avoided using the word “victory.”
Meanwhile, members of the Joint List celebrated their achievement by singing “Biladi, Biladi” (“My Country, My Country”).