‘Likud largest party, Iran weaker than ever’: Netanyahu in first speech after Israel election

Netanyahu told Likud supporters his party is the largest and the right-wing bloc has a "decisive majority", though exit polls show no clear winner. He also said Israel has a one-time chance to defeat Iran.

5 min readOct 28, 2026 09:08 AM IST First published on: Oct 28, 2026 at 09:08 AM IST

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to his supporters at Likud party headquarters in Jerusalem after the release of the first exit poll results in Israel's general election. (Photo: AP)

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told cheering supporters in Jerusalem early on Wednesday, October 28, that his Likud party is the largest in Israel and that the right-wing bloc has won a “decisive majority”.

The Israeli leader was speaking at Likud’s election night event just after 3am local time in his first public appearance since counting began. His claims go further than the exit polls, which show no clear winner and his bloc short of the 61 seats needed to form a government. Netanyahu called for a “national right-wing government”, said Israel must not rely on Arab parties, and attacked TV channels and the opposition. He also spent much of the speech on Iran, saying Israel and US President Donald Trump have a chance to end the threat “once and for all”. He said final results should come within one or two days.

Here are the top 10 updates from the speech.

1. Netanyahu finally takes the stage

Netanyahu came on stage at Likud headquarters in Jerusalem just after 3am. His voice was hoarse as he thanked party activists and members of parliament. He started by going through what Israel has done in the wars since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023. “We are still waiting for the true results,” he told the crowd.

🔴 Netanyahu says right-wing bloc has a ‘decisive majority,’ ‘Zionist Jewish majority must join forces’ https://t.co/HfebKR2OzI

— i24NEWS English (@i24NEWS_EN) October 28, 2026

2. ‘Likud is the largest party in Israel’

He told supporters that official results will show Likud is the largest party, and that “nobody can compete with us”. Likud did win more votes than any other single party, but that does not decide who forms the government. Netanyahu added that the vote count so far was “only the introduction”.

3. The ‘decisive majority’ claim

Netanyahu said the right-wing bloc has a majority, and called it “a decisive majority”. He later said the bloc has a clear majority among the Jewish public. Exit polls show something different:

• His bloc is projected at about 50 seats, short of the 61 needed.
• The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is projected at 52 to 53 seats, also short.
• Arab parties are projected to win 17 to 18 seats.

4. A call for a ‘national right-wing government’

Netanyahu said Israel must “establish a strong, right-wing national government”. He said a government that relies on the support of Palestinian parties must not be formed. He also said Israel needs a united “Zionist majority”.

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5. Attack on Arab parties

The Israeli Prime Minister said Israel should not rely on Arab parties, which he described as being “against our existence”. He said it was a “shame” that other parties are willing to work with them. He asked how parties can talk about “the covenant of those who serve” while working with parties that, in his words, attack soldiers.

6. The opposition accused of undermining soldiers

Netanyahu said opposition parties are trying to form a government with the help of Palestinian-Israeli parties. He accused his opponents of undermining Israeli soldiers and serving the interests of Israel’s enemies. “How can you form any coalitions with them?” he asked, adding that it “is shameful and should not happen”.

7. Iran: an ‘unprecedented’ chance

Iran was a main theme of the speech. Netanyahu said Israel faces an “unprecedented and unique opportunity” to remove what he called the existential threat from Iran. He said Israel would do this together with “our friend President Trump”. Later in the speech he called it a “historic, one-time opportunity”.

Netanyahu on Iran: Israel has a once-in-a-lifetime historic opportunity, together with President Trump, to eliminate the existential Iranian threat. https://t.co/a6bUKFfgTI

— Clash Report (@clashreport) October 28, 2026

8. ‘Iran is weaker than ever’

• Netanyahu said “Iran is weaker than ever, Israel is stronger than ever”.
• He said Israel has beaten its enemies in recent wars and can do so again.
• He said Israel and Trump would end the Iranian threat for good.

9. TV channels, news outlets and investigations

• He accused Israeli TV channels of trying to put off his supporters from voting by showing stronger results for the opposition.
• He criticised news outlets that had said Likud would do badly.
• He criticised what he called “criminal political investigations” into him.

10. ‘Israel will stay forever’

Netanyahu ended by saying Israel had defeated its enemies and could do so again. “We are the lions. The roaring lions,” he said, adding that those who did not hear Israel’s voice in the past “will hear it”. He closed with the words “Israel will stay forever” and joined in a song played over the speakers.

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