Bibi Fails To Secure Majority

GRAND RAPIDS, MI. - Israel's national election on October 27, 2026, failed to deliver a parliamentary majority for Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu's, bloc. Exit polls released by major Israeli TV stations indicated neither Netanyahu's coalition nor the bloc led by his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats required in the 120-member Knesset. Exit polls early Wednesday, October 28, 2026, suggested each bloc won approximately 51 seats, with Arab parties securing about 18. Despite this, Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the largest single party.

Later exit polls on October 28, 2026, showed Netanyahu's bloc and Eisenkot's bloc in a close contest, with some giving Netanyahu's side a slight edge, but still short of a majority. With nearly 10% of ballots counted on October 28, 2026, the Central Elections Committee reported Likud held 25.34% of the vote, while Eisenkot's Yashar party garnered 16.6%.

Revised polls on October 28, 2026, projected Netanyahu's Likud Party as the largest in parliament with about 27 seats. However, both major blocs remained around 51 seats, falling short of a governing majority. Israeli Arab lists were projected to win 17 to 18 seats, potentially positioning them as kingmakers. Voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999. Gadi Eisenkot stated the results indicated a "complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu and the October 7 government," while Yair Lapid called the outcome a "crushing defeat" for the Prime Minister.