The initial results of the Israeli elections held on October 27, 2026, indicate a lack of public trust in Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition. Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the opposition bloc, stated that the election results reflect "complete lack of trust" in Netanyahu and his coalition.
Commitment to Change
Eisenkot said in a statement: "I will act immediately to implement the will of the people, replace Netanyahu's government, and form a Zionist government committed to military service." He also emphasized the removal of military service exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men, making this a central theme of his campaign.
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Many Israeli media outlets described the recent elections as a referendum on Netanyahu. If the news poll outputs are accurate, it appears that the people of Israel have voted negatively against their long-serving Prime Minister.
Seat Status
While Netanyahu's current coalition includes 68 seats, the poll outputs indicate that his bloc has secured between 50 and 51 seats. Netanyahu seems reluctant to accept defeat, but it remains to be seen how the members of Likud and his coalition partners will react to these results.
The success of the Ra'am party, which polls predict will gain seven seats, means that no government in Israel can be formed without the participation of this religious Muslim party. This party also made headlines after the election of Yoav Segalovich, former Jewish police chief, as its number two candidate. The security situation and ongoing violence in the Arab and Palestinian community, as well as the war in Gaza, may have influenced Ra'am's results.
However, the coalition led by Likud and major opposition factions in Israel may reject a coalition with Ra'am, but the current results may force them to seek some form of cooperation with this party. One Israeli pollster said: "Tonight, Israelis were reminded that their population includes Arabs and Palestinians with Israeli citizenship as well."
Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Elections
Artificial intelligence has emerged as a significant factor in the Israeli election campaign, with political parties extensively using AI-generated videos, automated calls, and online content. Given the high anticipated turnout, the number of votes needed to cross the 3.25 percent threshold for entering the Knesset (Israeli parliament) will increase, which may raise the risk of smaller parties failing.
According to last week's polls, the two parties that are on the brink of this threshold are the Amcha Israel party led by Ofir Winter and the Save the Children party, which have yet to declare support for either of the two main blocs. In any case, the Central Elections Committee of Israel will need to make a decision on this matter.
Currently, the local time in Israel is 10 PM, and it appears that polling stations across the country should be closed or preparing to close. Results are expected to be gradually released throughout the night and may not be finalized until Wednesday.
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