Israel Election Results 2026 LIVE Updates: No clear winner in Israel as exit polls suggest rebuke for Netanyahu
Ultra-Orthodox Jewish men look at a screen displaying voter turnout in their community during Israel's general election in Jerusalem. (Photo: AP)
Israel’s election has left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his challenger, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, facing a political deadlock, with exit polls showing neither bloc securing the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Updated projections from Channels 11 and 13 put both camps at 51 seats each, while Channel 12 gives Netanyahu’s bloc a narrow lead with 52 seats. Likud is projected to remain the largest individual party, but its position may not be enough to secure another term for Netanyahu. Arab-led parties, projected to win around 16-18 seats, could emerge as crucial players in coalition negotiations. Both leaders have claimed political legitimacy, with Eisenkot arguing that voters have rejected Netanyahu’s leadership, while the prime minister has called for a right-wing government. Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest in more than two decades. Official counting is under way, and coalition negotiations could stretch for weeks.
Exit polls · Oct 27
Israel election 2026: No bloc reaches 61
Three of five exit polls put the anti-Netanyahu bloc ahead, two the Netanyahu-led bloc. Likud is the biggest party in all of them.
Projected seats in the 120-seat Knesset
Tap an exit poll. A bloc needs to pass the dashed line at the top to reach 61 seats.
Kan 11 exit pollANTI-NETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD
61 FOR MAJORITY 501753120seats
50Netanyahu-led bloc
17Arab parties
53Anti-Netanyahu bloc
Channel 12 exit pollANTI-NETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD
61 FOR MAJORITY 501852120seats
50Netanyahu-led bloc
18Arab parties
52Anti-Netanyahu bloc
Channel 13 exit pollANTI-NETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD
61 FOR MAJORITY 501753120seats
50Netanyahu-led bloc
17Arab parties
53Anti-Netanyahu bloc
Channel 14 exit pollNETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD
61 FOR MAJORITY 601743120seats
60Netanyahu-led bloc
17Arab parties
43Anti-Netanyahu bloc
i24NEWS exit pollNETANYAHU BLOC AHEAD
61 FOR MAJORITY 551649120seats
55Netanyahu-led bloc
16Arab parties
49Anti-Netanyahu bloc
Party by party: Kan 11Channel 12Channel 13Channel 14i24NEWS
LikudBenjamin Netanyahu 2524253027
Yashar!Gadi Eisenkot 2122231920
B’YachadNaftali Bennett 14121411–
JLJoint List 10111010–
DemocratsYair Golan 10999–
Yisrael BeytenuAvigdor Liberman 8974–
ShasAryeh Deri 6869–
Ra’amMansour Abbas 7777–
UTJUTJ 6677–
Otzma YehuditItamar Ben-Gvir 7667–
Religious ZionismBezalel Smotrich 6667–
i24NEWS has published only its figures for Likud (27 seats) and Yashar! (20 seats).
Largest party24–30 seatsLikud (Netanyahu) leads in all five exit polls.
Runner-up19–23 seatsYashar! (Gadi Eisenkot) is second in all five.
Closest to 6160 seatsChannel 14’s projection for the Netanyahu bloc, one short.
KEY TAKEAWAY
No clear path to a majority
With 61 seats needed to form a government, neither bloc reaches the mark in any exit poll, pointing to complex coalition talks.
Exit polls are projections, not official results. Estimates vary by broadcaster, and seat counts may change once all ballots, including double-envelope ballots, are counted. Blocs: Netanyahu-led = Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism (UTJ), Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit; anti-Netanyahu = Yashar!, B’Yachad (Naftali Bennett), Democrats, Yisrael Beytenu; Arab parties = Joint List, Ra’am.
Sources: Exit polls by Kan 11, Channel 12, Channel 13, Channel 14 and i24NEWS (Oct 27, 2026), via Israel Hayom, Ynet and i24NEWS.
Created by Aniruddha Dhar
Where the votes stand right now: Official results are not out yet, so the seat numbers come from exit polls, which have a patchy record in close races. The latest projections give Netanyahu’s camp 51 to 52 seats and the opposition bloc 49 to 51, while Arab parties could win 18 to 19 seats between them. Earlier exit polls had put the opposition slightly ahead. Local media said 28% of votes had been counted at about 5am in Tel Aviv. Exit polls do not include the hundreds of thousands of votes cast at special polling stations, such as military bases, hospitals, prisons and embassies. In the last election, those votes tended to favour Netanyahu and his allies, The New York Times said. After the official totals, President Isaac Herzog will invite the leader he thinks is most likely to build a coalition.
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Top updates
- Eisenkot claims the mood for change: He told supporters “the public wants change”. He also warned Netanyahu not to use his powers as caretaker prime minister, or Israel’s security, to shape the talks on a new government, the Times said.
- Netanyahu says Likud is the largest party: He called for a “national right-wing government”. Likud did win more votes than any other single party, but exit polls show his bloc short of 61 seats.
- Arab parties could decide the outcome: They are projected to have their strongest result ever. Netanyahu has effectively ruled out working with them, and Eisenkot and his partners have also hesitated.
- Other routes are being discussed: Analysts are weighing a unity government between Netanyahu and Eisenkot, but the two would have to agree who becomes prime minister. Eisenkot has also floated a minority government.
- Arab politicians accuse Netanyahu of stoking hatred: Leaders of Arab-led lists said he incited hatred against Palestinian citizens of Israel to help his chances.
Follow the latest updates on the Israel election here. This live blog tracks the key developments as voting day unfolds. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed through the day to reflect the most important news from the vote.
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