U.S. President Donald Trump said his decision to support Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister and leader of the Likud party, changed the course of Israel’s parliamentary elections, so that instead of facing a major defeat, Netanyahu now appears to be heading for a strong comeback.
Trump made the remarks in a post on the social media platform Truth Social, noting that his public support for Netanyahu had affected the course of the election contest.
According to exit poll results (projections) published by Israeli television channels, Netanyahu’s bloc is expected to win about 55 to 57 seats out of 120 parliamentary seats. By contrast, the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, was projected in various estimates to win about 49 to 53 seats.
The figures show that the contest between the two blocs is extremely close, and neither side can secure an absolute majority of parliament on its own, namely 61 seats.
The election, held yesterday, was Israel’s first general election since 7 October 2023 Hamas attacks and the wars that followed in the region.
According to published information, voter turnout reached about 77.7%, the highest turnout recorded since 1999.
These elections are viewed as an important test for Benjamin Netanyahu’s leadership, particularly with regard to security policies, the Gaza war, regional relations and Israel’s internal disputes.
In Israel’s political system, winning a larger number of seats does not mean immediately forming a government. Through coalition agreements, parties must secure the support of at least 61 members of parliament.
For this reason, smaller parties and political forces outside these two main blocs can play a key role in determining the next government.
Meanwhile, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister and leader of the Likud party, announced that the right-wing bloc had won a “clear majority” in Israel’s parliamentary elections and called for the formation of a “strong national and right-wing government.”
Netanyahu said today, Wednesday, at a meeting with Likud supporters in Jerusalem that what is now clear is that Likud is Israel’s largest party and that the right-wing bloc also holds a majority among voters and those who support the Israeli government.
At the same time, he criticized reports and forecasts issued before the election that pointed to a decline in Likud’s number of seats. Netanyahu said: “We still have to wait for the final election results.”
After the vote count is completed, Israel’s President Isaac Herzog will meet with the leaders of the parties and then designate the person he believes has the best chance of forming a government. That candidate will have 42 days to organize a governing coalition.
According to official information, the final election results are still being counted, and the official results are scheduled to be released in 4 November.
