Netanyahu calls for strong, right-wing national govt as exit polls show deadlock

With exit polls pointing to a deadlock in Israel's wartime election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a strong right-wing government, ruled out relying on Arab-led parties and vowed to work with US President Donald Trump to eliminate the threat posed by Iran.Israeli Prime Minister and Likud party leader Benjamin Netanyahu gives a statement following exit polls for Israel's national election, at Likud's election headquarters in Jerusalem, (Photo: Reuters)New Delhi,Oct 28, 2026 08:23 ISTIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a strong right-wing government, insisting that the Jewish and Zionist majority must unite, even as exit polls showed his bloc locked in a close contest with the opposition and neither side securing a clear path to power.Netanyahu, in his first address to the nation after voting, projected confidence in his Likud party's prospects, pointing to exit polls that indicated it could emerge as the largest single party in the next parliament. However, the projections offered no clear winner, setting the stage for potentially prolonged coalition negotiations.“We must put in place a strong government of the right,” Netanyahu told cheering supporters in a 3 am (local time) address at a convention centre in Jerusalem on Wednesday.The prime minister also ruled out a government dependent on Arab-led parties, which could hold the balance of power in the fragmented parliament. “The Jewish and Zionist majority must unite,” he said, adding that a government backed by Arab parties was “out of the question”. Netanyahu's remarks came as exit polls indicated that his camp and the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot were running neck and neck. None of the projections gave either side the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.NETANYAHU VOWS TO ELIMINATE IRAN THREATDuring his address, Netanyahu also highlighted Israel's military achievements over the past three years, using them to underline his government’s record against the country’s adversaries and its efforts to counter security threats. He also invoked his close ties with US President Donald Trump, describing the partnership as an opportunity to eliminate what he called the existential threat posed by Iran.“Israel has a unique opportunity with our partner President Trump to forever eliminate the existential threat of Iran,” Netanyahu told reporters, after repeatedly warning of the possibility of another bombing campaign against the country.The speech was brief by Netanyahu's standards, but his supporters responded with chants, songs and applause as he took the stage, waving Israeli and Likud flags.WHAT EXIT POLLS SAIDThe exit polls suggested a setback for Netanyahu's coalition, although they did not establish a decisive victory for his opponents. Projections from Kan 11 and Channel 13 showed the two camps level, while Channel 12 gave Netanyahu's Likud-led bloc a narrow advantage as the night progressed.Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot, who emerged as Netanyahu's strongest challenger, said the election reflected a rejection of the prime minister's leadership.“The Israeli public has voted against Netanyahu's service as Israel's prime minister,” Eisenkot told supporters in Tel Aviv, arguing that a leader who had lost the public's confidence should step aside.Opposition leader Yair Lapid also described the projections as a major blow to Netanyahu's camp, saying the public had delivered a clear message against the coalition.Eisenkot, 66, a former military chief who entered politics four years ago, has sought to position himself as a centrist alternative while retaining a hard line on security.He joined Netanyahu's war cabinet after the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, but left eight months later, criticising the prime minister's leadership.He has argued that Israel's military campaign in Gaza failed to achieve its objectives because Hamas remains in control, while accusing Netanyahu of putting political interests ahead of national security.ARAB PARTIES COULD HOLD THE KEYWith neither major bloc projected to command a parliamentary majority, Arab-led parties outside the two camps could emerge as crucial players in government formation.However, Eisenkot has largely ruled out forming a government with them, complicating the opposition's path to power. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has made clear that he does not want his government to depend on Arab parties.The election also saw strong turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel, with candidates from the Joint List alliance hoping to translate their support into parliamentary influence.At the alliance's headquarters in Nazareth, candidate Faten Gattas said, “We refuse the occupation and racism, and we will remain here.”A WARTIME ELECTION WITH NO EASY VERDICTThe vote was Israel's first national election since the October 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack, which killed around 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage, and the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran.Netanyahu faced criticism over the intelligence and security failures that allowed the attack to take place. He has defended his record by pointing to military operations against the leadership of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, presenting himself as the leader best equipped to confront Israel's adversaries.His right-wing coalition's policies have also deepened domestic divisions and contributed to Israel's international isolation. Yet Netanyahu, who has served as prime minister for nearly 19 of the past 30 years, has repeatedly demonstrated an ability to survive political crises.He has faced long-standing corruption charges, which he denies, alongside criticism over his handling of the October 7 attack. His opponents have previously managed to remove him from office only to see him return to power after another round of political upheaval.- Ends