Israel election results live: Netanyahu faces calls to quit as exit polls point to deadlock with Eisenkot bloc

Israel election results live: Netanyahu faces calls to quit as exit polls point to deadlock with Eisenkot bloc Neither prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival Gadi Eisenkot on track for a majority - Bookmark - CommentsGo to comments Become an Independent member to bookmark this article Already a member? Log in Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing calls to step aside after exit polls predicted an election deadlock between his and a rival bloc. Exit polls by major television networks showed neither Netanyahu nor his main rival Eisenkot secured the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party and the rival "change" bloc, told party workers in Tel Aviv they "have made history". "This morning the people of Israel went to a referendum on the leadership that will lead Israel in the coming years. Tonight we received an answer. The public decided in favour of change,” he said. With actual results still being counted, the exit polls indicated that Netanyahu's bloc won 50 seats, the opposition won 52-53 and Arab parties won 17-18. The strong showing by Arab-led parties could allow them to decide the next prime minister, but both blocs have until now refused to partner with them. Netanyahu, addressing a crowd in Jerusalem, said the election provided Israel a "historic opportunity" to eliminate the "Iranian threat" as he called for the formation of a "strong, right-wing" government. Eisenkot calls on Netanyahu to quit politics Gadi Eisenkot has claimed his bloc has "made history" and called on Benjamin Netanyahu to retire from politics, even as exit polls showed the two blocs neck and neck in the elections. "This morning, the entire Israeli nation went out for a referendum. Tonight, we got an answer - the public has decided it wants change," Eisenkot told party workers in Tel Aviv. He said Netanyahu's "fiasco" coalition has "lost their confidence".Eisenkot earlier warned Netanyahu not to use Israel's security for political purposes. “Netanyahu is a caretaker prime minister, without a mandate or the people's trust,” Eisenkot said, calling on the security establishment to “stand firm” against any attempt to put political interests ahead of Israel's security. Netanyahu says Israel has 'historic opportunity' to remove Iranian threat Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had a historic opportunity "to remove the Iranian threat", addressing a rally in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday. Iran is weaker than ever, Israel is stronger than ever," he said as exit polls predicted a deadlock in the Israeli election. "Israel is facing a historic, one-time opportunity along with our friend president Trump to remove the Iranian threat once and for all," he added. Ex-justice minister predicts Eisenkot will defeat Netanyahu Former Israeli justice minister Yossi Beilin has predicted that prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be defeated by opponent Gadi Eisenkot. “The main thing is that Netanyahu will not continue and be the Israeli prime minister”, he told Al Jazeera. Israeli national security minister: ‘The night is still young’ Itamar Ben-Gvir, the far-right national security minister in Israel, said, “The night is still young” as exit polls suggest a deadlock with prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main opponent Gadi Eisenkot. Ben-Gvirt told supporters at a gathering that he hoped his bloc, led by Netanyahu, “was close to forming a right-wing government”, per The New York Times. Netanyahu calls for formation of 'strong, right-wing' government Benjamin Netanyahu has called for the formation of “a strong, right-wing national government" after exit polls predicted a deadlock in Israel's election. With actual votes trickling in, Kan 11 and Channel 13 exit polls had the blocs tied at 51-51, while Channel 12 gave Netanyahu's Likud-led bloc a narrow 52-49 edge. None left either side with the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Emotions run high among some voters In Kiryat Shmona, a Netanyahu stronghold near the border with Lebanon, one man kicked and tore down a poster of Eisenkot. The election is Israel's first national vote since the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war in Gaza and related conflicts. In Tel Aviv, families of some killed on Oct. 7 or former hostages held a moment of silence. “Remember all those whose voices are no more,” said Yona Adam, whose daughter Mapal Adam was killed. Around 330,000 young Israelis, many facing compulsory military service under the shadow of war, are eligible to vote for the first time. Eisenkot started the day by visiting communities attacked on Oct. 7. “If someone in the government had a shred of responsibility, they would start the morning here” in the communities near Gaza, he said. Standing in a cheering crowd, Eisenkot called on all Israelis to vote to get rid of “the worst government Israel has known.” He noted that victory wasn’t certain, adding that “we are on perhaps the most critical day since the founding of the state.” There were scattered allegations of irregularities and issues at polling stations, but Dean Livne, the acting director-general of the elections commission, said the number of complaints was so far much lower than in previous elections. Watch: Netanyahu casts vote in Israel’s most important election in years Israel election sees record voter turnout but polls suggest no clear winner Exit polls show Israel's election ended in an apparent deadlock, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival Gadi Eisenkot on track for a 61-seat majority. The election served as the first opportunity for Israeli citizens to vote following the October 7 domestic security failure and subsequent conflicts with Hamas and Iran. Israeli TV stations revise exit polls The polls published by the three major TV stations are now suggesting a slight increase in support for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but still leaving him short of a governing majority. The revised polls suggest that Netanyahu’s Likud Party will be the largest in parliament, with about 27 seats. But the broader bloc of parties led by Netanyahu and the bloc of parties led by his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, each captured about 51 seats in parliament, the polls suggest. Initial exit polls had indicated Eisenkot’s bloc had a slight edge. A candidate needs 61 parliamentary seats to form a majority coalition government. Arab-led parties won the remaining 18 seats, the exit polls suggested. If official results, expected in the coming days, reveal a similar breakdown, Israel could face weeks of uncertainty as parties jockey for power. Eisenkot pleads for national unity In a speech early Wednesday, Gadi Eisenkot, Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main opponent, pledged to form a government and promised “a new era of hope” for Israelis. “Today, Israel went out to a referendum over the leadership that will lead Israel in the coming years,” Eisenkot said to cheers from supporters. “The people decided in favor of change.” He warned Netanyahu “not to use Israel’s security for your political needs” while he is a caretaker prime minister, an apparent reference to reports that the Israeli leader was considering an attack against Iran in the sensitive days leading up to the elections. Join our commenting forum Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Comments