Israeli Yashar party leader Gadi Eisenkot, a leading challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said early exit-poll results from the Knesset elections indicate a complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu and his government.
اضافة اعلان
Eisenkot said early Wednesday that the initial polling results reflect declining confidence in Netanyahu's government, which he described as the "October 7 government."
Meanwhile, Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid said Netanyahu's bloc had suffered a defeat, based on his assessment of the exit-poll results. In a post on X, Lapid said the bloc had suffered a crushing defeat, adding that voters had called on its members to return home.
In a related development, Israeli Democrats party leader Yair Golan said voters had rejected Netanyahu's government, arguing that the election provides an opportunity to form a new government.
In a post on X, Golan said his party would work with its partners to overcome differences and take responsibility, expressing readiness to make the necessary efforts to form a government of change after what he described as voters' clear position on the current government.
Polling stations closed at 10 p.m. on Tuesday following a contest for the Knesset's 120 seats. Netanyahu sought to remain in office, while opposition forces entered the election seeking to end his rule and form a new government.
The election is held under a proportional representation system, under which an electoral list must receive at least 3.25% of valid votes to participate in the allocation of seats. Surplus-vote agreements between parties also play a role in determining the distribution of remaining seats.
While exit polls show Eisenkot's camp leading in some projections, they do not determine who will become the next prime minister. The formation of the next government will depend on the final distribution of Knesset seats and the ability of the competing blocs to secure sufficient support in parliament.
