Israeli Election Leaves Netanyahu's Likud Largest Party but Neither Bloc Near a Majority

Israelis voted Tuesday in a national election in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the largest party, though neither his coalition nor the opposition appeared close to the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. With more than 90% of the vote counted on Wednesday, Netanyahu's coalition had 53 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's Change bloc had 49, and turnout was the highest in decades. Exit polls on Tuesday had shown a majority of voters backing parties against Netanyahu, and he was shown behind the opposition. Israel's two Arab parties won more seats than in any previous election. Both Netanyahu and his opponents have vowed not to form a government that relies on them. The vote comes about eight months into the war with Iran. Netanyahu has pledged to "finish the job" against Iran, and President Donald Trump has endorsed him. Eisenkot says Iran must never obtain a nuclear weapon but has called regime change unrealistic.

CBS News, on the left, leads with the exit polls, the lack of a clear majority for either bloc and the record Arab party result. It cites Arab voters who described a difficult time under Netanyahu's government, and it adds the IAEA chief's call for access to Iran's nuclear materials. The New York Post, on the right, leads with Netanyahu's apparent comeback and what it means for the Iran war, quoting Israeli analysts Beni Sabti and Yossi Mansharof on Iranian fears and on Netanyahu's regime-change aim versus Eisenkot's position. It gives exact seat counts, which CBS's excerpt does not. Both agree on the deadlock, the high turnout and the Iran war's weight over the vote. They differ in emphasis: CBS stresses the Arab vote and the anti-Netanyahu majority in the exit polls, while the Post says a third phase of the war is almost certain. The American Conservative takes a separate angle, covering a Tehran meeting of Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani security officials with Iranian officials and the effect on oil and gasoline prices.