As official vote counting progresses in Israel’s general election, preliminary results released by the Central Elections Committee show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party maintaining the lead with 60% of ballots counted.
According to official tally data reported by Al Jazeera, Likud leads the popular vote with 21.4%, while its principal opponent—the newly formed centrist Yashar party led by former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot—holds second place at 16.2%. Under Israel’s proportional representation system, citizens vote for political party slates rather than individual candidates, requiring parties to construct coalition alliances to command a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Historically, no single party in Israel has ever won an outright 61-seat majority.
The election recorded exceptional voter engagement, with overall voter turnout reaching approximately 80%. Notably, turnout among Arab voters surged to near 80%—a massive increase compared to 2022 when Arab parties secured only 10 seats. Analysts attribute this surge to widespread discontent over National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir’s aggressive home demolition directives and law enforcement policies in Arab communities. Exit polls project Arab-led parties to win around 18 Knesset seats. However, with both Netanyahu and main opposition leaders ruling out political alliances with Arab factions, neither major bloc currently commands a clear path to a 61-seat majority, setting the stage for complex presidential consultations and coalition negotiations.
— Daily Best News Desk • Fearless in the search for truth
Reported by International Desk • Edited by the Daily Best News desk. Send corrections to [email protected].
