Netanyahu and Eisenkot Claim Mandate in Deadlocked Israeli Election

Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot both declared themselves the rightful leaders of Israel on Wednesday, despite a vote count that points to a stalemate. Neither politician conceded defeat after Tuesday’s election, the first national vote since the Hamas-led attack of October 7, 2023. The conflict over who holds the people’s mandate remains unresolved as ballots are still being tallied.

The path to this deadlock began with a fragmented electorate. Netanyahu’s nationalist-religious coalition once held 68 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, but projections now show his bloc winning 55 seats. Eisenkot’s camp is projected to take 50 seats, while Arab parties are expected to secure 15. These figures are based on 48.4 percent of the vote and may shift as the Central Elections Committee completes the count, which could extend to Thursday.

Both men face the same arithmetic hurdle: they need 61 seats to command a majority. Netanyahu’s camp has ruled out governing with Arab parties, who campaigned against the prime minister and his far-right allies. Eisenkot, the former military chief who leads the Yashar party, has also largely excluded Arab parties from his potential coalition. The far-right religious parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich are projected to take a combined 13 seats within Netanyahu’s bloc.

Netanyahu addressed supporters at Likud headquarters in Jerusalem after 3 a.m. local time. He called for a strong, right-wing national government and pointed to military successes. He also raised the possibility of renewed joint action with U.S. President Donald Trump against Iran, describing the moment as a singular historical opportunity to remove the existential threat of Iran once and for all.

Eisenkot, 66, countered that voters had turned away from the longtime leader. He urged Netanyahu to retire from politics, stating that the prime minister is a caretaker without a mandate or the people’s trust. Eisenkot also called on the security establishment to stand firm against efforts to prioritize political interests over national security. He entered politics four years ago and quit Netanyahu’s war cabinet eight months after the 2023 attack, criticizing his leadership.

Turnout reached 77.7 percent, the highest in more than two decades and about seven percentage points above the 2022 election. This high participation gives smaller parties potential kingmaker roles, a dynamic that has led to coalition talks lasting weeks or months in the past. If neither side can form a government, another election may be needed, an outcome Eisenkot opposed given the strong voter engagement.

Voters weighed the trauma of October 7, when Hamas killed 1,200 people and took 251 hostages, alongside subsequent wars with Hezbollah and Iran. Netanyahu has faced criticism for the security failure but argues he made Israel safer by killing top leaders of Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Eisenkot, who lost a son and two nephews in the Gaza war, argues the response failed because Hamas remains in charge.