Israeli exit polls suggest no clear winner in pivotal general election
Two polls project that veteran PM Benjamin Netanyahu and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot are tied, with neither winning a majority.
This article has not been analyzed yet.
Analysis will be added once processing is complete.
United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas said he hoped the Change Bloc and the UAL could together secure 61 Knesset seats.
""I hope that the numbers will work out and we, the Change Bloc and the UAL, can ensure that there are 61 Knesset seats," United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas said."
The Central Elections Committee reported voter turnout of 77.7% when polls closed at 22:00 local time, the highest at that hour since 1999.
"It stood at 77.7% when polls closed at 22:00 local time (20:00 GMT), which was the highest at that hour since 1999, the Central Elections Committee said."
Israeli broadcasters' exit polls projected no clear winner, with Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties in his Change Bloc winning 51 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.
"Two Israeli broadcasters projected that Eisenkot's Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties in his "Change Bloc" would win 51 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, as would Netanyahu's Likud party and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies."
The Central Elections Committee rejected right-wing parties' request to extend voting hours beyond 22:00 local time, saying the circumstances did not justify an extension.
"Likud and several other right-wing parties asked for voting hours to be extended beyond 22:00 local time"
"The Central Elections Committee ultimately rejected their request, saying that "the current circumstances do not justify an extension""
Eisenkot's ally Yair Lapid said Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc had suffered a crushing defeat.
"His ally in the Beyachad party, former prime minister Yair Lapid, said Netanyahu's bloc had suffered a "crushing defeat"."
The two Arab parties, the United Arab List and the Joint List, were projected to win a record 18 or 19 seats after reportedly strong turnout among Arab Israelis.
"Much will depend on the role played by the two Arab parties, which were projected to win a record 18 or 19 seats."
"The two Arab parties - the United Arab List and the Joint List - were projected to win several extra seats in parliament following a reportedly strong turnout among Arab Israelis"
Gadi Eisenkot said his bloc had made history and promised a stable Zionist government for all of Israel's citizens.
"Eisenkot said they had "made history" and promised to "ensure that the people's decision is translated into a Zionist government: stable and good for all of Israel's citizens"."
Benjamin Netanyahu declared in a speech at Likud headquarters that his right-wing bloc had a great majority and called for a strong, right-wing national government.
"Later, Netanyahu appeared at Likud's headquarters and declared in a speech that his right-wing bloc had a "great majority". He also called for the formation of "a strong, right-wing national government"."