Israel election results show no clear winner as Netanyahu urged to step down

Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to form a ‘strong,right-wing’ national government (Picture: Getty Images)

No clear winner has emerged from Israel’s first election since the 2023 October 7 attacks.

In the latest updated exit polls,the result is still too close to call,with projections differing between broadcasters.

According to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12,Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition group is projected to win more total seats than the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party.

The outlet gives the pro-Netanyahu bloc 52 seats and the anti-Netanyahu bloc 49,compared with 50 and 52 in its previous poll a few hours ago. 

It has Netanyahu’s Likud party winning 27 seats in the Knesset,up from 24,while the Yashar party is projected to win 21 seats,down from 22,according to the channel. 

However,Kan 11’s latest poll has the two blocs tied at 51 seats each,compared with 50 and 52 in favour of the anti-Netanyahu bloc in its previous poll.

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Start your day informed with Metro's News Updates newsletter or get Breaking News alerts the moment it happens.Earlier,commentators said it was a ‘very,very bad night’ for Netanyahu (Picture: Kyodo/Newscom/Newscom/Avalon)Eisenkot celebrated the results at his party’s headquarters,telling supporters ‘we made history’ (Picture: Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock)The winning bloc needs at least 61 seats in the Knesset to form a majority government.In a speech,Eisenkot said millions of Israelis have ‘grown sick with the culture of lies’ brought by Netanyahu’s government.‘I intend…to represent all Israelis’,the Yashar party leader said in Tel Aviv.‘We will change the Israeli and national priorities.’Eisenkot then shared a direct message with Israel’s current prime minister,saying: ‘Do not use Israel’s security for your own political purposes.’He also called on Netanyahu to retire from politics,saying Israelis had voted against him.