Israel's Knesset Race Stalls at 61 Seats With Counting Ongoing

Voters in Israel returned to a state of political uncertainty on Wednesday morning after a night of conflicting exit poll results. No candidate has yet secured the 61 seats required in the 120-member Knesset to form a government. The outcome remains too close to call between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot.

Election officials expect to complete the vote count by Thursday afternoon. Until then, the identity of the next prime minister remains undecided. The deadlock follows the first national vote since the October 7 attacks, a period marked by intense security concerns and shifting public opinion.

Initial exit polls released as voting closed showed Eisenkot holding an advantage over Netanyahu. Supporters gathered at Eisenkot's campaign headquarters, where many celebrated the projected lead. Mayan Eshel, an Eisenkot supporter present at the venue, said she felt optimistic that Israelis would wake up to a new era of democracy and peace.

Those expectations changed overnight when updated tallies showed Netanyahu pulling ahead. By morning, the race had narrowed again, leaving both camps without a clear mandate. The shift left many Israelis feeling confused about the direction of the country after years of war and far-right leadership.

The coalition dynamics are complicated by the performance of Arab-led parties. These groups appear to have delivered a historically strong showing and have indicated they want Eisenkot to be the next prime minister. However, many within Eisenkot's own camp have been resistant to forming a coalition with Arab parties. This hesitation stems from a climate of mistrust that intensified following the October 7 attacks, leaving Eisenkot without a straightforward path to a majority.

Both main candidates addressed their supporters in the early hours of Wednesday. Eisenkot delivered a speech that sounded like a victory address, a tone NPR correspondent Daniel Estrin described as premature. Eisenkot issued a direct warning to Netanyahu, telling him not to use Israel's security for political needs. He specifically cautioned against using the transition period to launch a strike on Iran, a move Netanyahu had promised during his campaign.

Netanyahu addressed his own base shortly after. He stated that he would attempt to form the next government. "We need to create a right-wing, strong government. That's what has to be done," Netanyahu said.

The next step in the process is for the candidate who finishes ahead to receive the first chance to build a governing coalition. That candidate will have six weeks to assemble the necessary 61 seats. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot are expected to spend that period negotiating with smaller parties and potentially courting defectors from the opposing camp.

As the final votes are tallied, the focus shifts to these coalition talks. The six-week window begins once the final results are certified. Until then, the Knesset remains in a state of transition, with both leaders preparing for weeks of intense bargaining to secure a majority.