Netanyahu, Eisenkot stake rival claims to lead Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and rival Gadi Eisenkot offered competing claims to lead Israel after yesterday's election, with Mr Netanyahu calling for a right-wing government and Mr Eisenkot saying voters had rejected the longtime Israeli leader, even as exit polls left their blocs deadlocked.

While the projected results would represent ⁠a setback for Mr Netanyahu and his nationalist-religious coalition, the deadlock could work in his favour, leaving the 77-year-old in office as a caretaker prime minister during what are likely to be prolonged coalition negotiations or even until another election can beheld.

With vote counts trickling in, Kan 11 and Channel 13 exit polls had the blocs tied at 51 seats each, while Channel 12 gave Mr Netanyahu's Likud-led bloc a narrow 52-49 edge.

That left both sides short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, and neither Mr Netanyahu nor Mr Eisenkot claimed victory.

The vote was the first election since the Hamas-led attack of 7 October 2023, and the ensuing wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.

Far-right religious parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich were projected to take a combined 13 seats within Mr Netanyahu's bloc - with no major gains for either of them.

Arab parties outside the two main blocs could hold the balance of power. But Mr Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and a former military chief, has all but ruled out forming a government with them, complicating his path to power.

Voters turned out yesterday in the highest numbers in decades.

Mr Netanyahu, greeting cheering supporters at a Jerusalem convention centre after 3am local time (1am Irish time), called for a "strong government of the right" and said that the "Jewish and Zionist majority must unite".

He was unusually brief, but instead again hinted that he was ready for a third bombing campaign against Iran alongside US President Donald Trump, his close ally.

"Israel has a unique opportunity with our partner President Trump to forever eliminate the existential threat of Iran," Mr Netanyahu said.

Mr Eisenkot, speaking to his own supporters in Tel Aviv, issued a veiled warning to Mr Netanyahu, who observers say could use a war to push for a unity government.

"Netanyahu, don't you dare use Israel's security for your political needs," Mr Eisenkot said.

Addressing Israel's security establishment, Mr Eisenkot said that they served the state and not Mr Netanyahu, calling him "a caretaker prime minister, without a mandate or the people's trust".

'Public has voted for change'

Mr Eisenkot shares many of Mr Netanyahu's views on security and has backed the Gaza offensive that has reduced the territory to rubble.

But Mr Eisenkot has vowed to create a more inclusive atmosphere inside Israel and to rein in extremist settlers in the West Bank who have attacked Palestinians with virtual impunity.

Read more: Netanyahu loses his majority, but no one has won it yet

After turnout of nearly 78%, the highest since 1999, Mr Eisenkot said it would be a mistake to hold a second election and vowed to work "swiftly" to form a government.

"The public has voted for change," Mr Eisenkot said.

"A worthy leader would accept the people's vote of no confidence and announce his retirement from political life today," he added.

Mr Netanyahu also vowed to form a new government, saying no leader should rule through the backing of Israeli Arabs, whose parties posted strong gains.

"The Jewish and Zionist majority must unite," he said. "It is out of the question to have a government that is backed by Arab parties."

Gideon Saar, Israel's foreign minister and a Netanyahu ally, called victory declarations by the opposition "premature".

Eye on Arab kingmakers

Israeli Arab leader Mansour Abbas said he believed the right had "suffered a major loss" and was open to working with Mr Eisenkot.

Arab politicians could give him support in parliamentary votes to maintain a minority government without joining a coalition. If not, Israel could head to new elections.

Mr Ben Gvir warned Mr Netanyahu against another option - a unity government with Mr Eisenkot, saying that "it would be a terrible mistake."

Mr Eisenkot, 66, who lost a son and two nephews in the Gaza war, emerged as Mr Netanyahu's strongest challenger, stressing his security credentials while positioning himself ⁠as a centrist domestically.

He entered politics ‌only four years ago and joined Mr Netanyahu's war cabinet after the 2023 Hamas attack, but quit eight months later, criticising the prime minister's leadership.

Mr Eisenkot offers a break with Mr Netanyahu's leadership and far-right allies, but not with the hawkish approach to security that has become more entrenched since the 2023 Hamas attack. He opposes Palestinian statehood and says Hamas' military wing must be destroyed or dismantled.

He has said that Israel's response - a war that has killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza health authorities - was a failure because Hamas remains in charge.

The headquarters of the Joint List, an alliance of several Arab ⁠parties, burst into whistles and applause when exit polls were released, on a historic night for turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel.

"We refuse the occupation and racism, and we will remain here," said Faten Gattas, a candidate in the Joint List, in a speech ⁠at the alliance's headquarters in Nazareth.

Candidates hoped high Arab turnout would allow them to play a decisive role in blocking Mr Netanyahu's coalition from returning to power.