Israel’s Netanyahu claims mandate for right-wing government as exit polls leave his bloc short of majority

JERUSALEM - OCT. 28: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed a mandate for a right-wing government early Wednesday, despite major exit polls leaving his bloc short of a parliamentary majority, and attacked efforts to form a government relying on Arab parties. Addressing Likud supporters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said he was awaiting the final vote count but stressed that his party was projected to remain the largest in the Knesset. “We are still waiting for the actual results,” he said. Netanyahu claimed the right-wing bloc held a “decisive majority” among the “Zionist public” and urged Jewish and Zionist parties to unite behind a strong right-wing government. He accused politicians and media outlets of trying to normalize a government supported by Arab lists, claiming such an arrangement would endanger Israel. He described the Arab parties as “anti-Zionist” and accused them of opposing Israel’s existence. Netanyahu also defended his military record, claiming that Israeli operations had changed the Middle East and weakened Iran. He said Israel had removed an existential threat but warned that the confrontation would not be over while Iran’s current leadership remained in power, accusing it of seeking Israel’s destruction. A revised Channel 12 exit poll projected 52 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc, 49 for the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot and 19 for Arab parties. Updated projections from Israel’s public broadcaster and Channel 13 put the two main blocs level at 51 seats each, with 18 for Arab parties. Neither bloc reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999, according to the Central Elections Committee. Vote counting began after polls closed at 10 pm local time (2000GMT) Tuesday. Exit polls are projections, not official results. Official results are expected on Nov. 4.