Israel votes Tuesday; final polls show neither bloc with a majority

Israelis vote Tuesday for a new 120-seat Knesset; a governing coalition needs 61 seats. Final polls by Israel's three main TV broadcasters show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc at 50 seats and the opposition bloc at 52 to 56, neither reaching a majority. About 7.3 million people are eligible to vote, and official results are scheduled by November 4.

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Why it matters

About 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to choose a new 120-seat parliament while Israel is still fighting in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria. Final polls show neither bloc reaching the 61 seats needed to govern, which could lead to prolonged coalition talks, a minority government or a new election.

What to watch

Polls close at 10 PM Israel time on Tuesday, October 27, when exit polls are published; official results are scheduled for publication by November 4.

How each side sees it

Netanyahu saysOnly he can form a government without Arab parties, he needs more time to finish operations in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, and only he can work with President Trump to stop Iran from getting a nuclear weapon.

The opposition saysNetanyahu must go. Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief who leads the Yashar party, says he will reunite a divided Israel, promises a state inquiry into the October 7, 2023 attack, and accuses Netanyahu of fear-mongering over Iran.

Sources

Checked against 3 established news sources:

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Published Monday, October 26, 2026. Spot an error? Email [email protected]. See our corrections log and standards.