Polling stations across Israel closed at 10 p.m. Tuesday, and television networks released their exit polls for the 26th Knesset election following a day marked by particularly high voter turnout and intensive efforts by political parties to mobilize their supporters.
At the heart of the political battle are three crucial questions: Can the Right secure a majority, will the anti-Netanyahu bloc be able to form a government, and how will voting in the Arab sector affect the balance of power?
The exit polls offer an initial picture of the distribution of seats in the 120-member Knesset. But even after the official results are released, expected on Nov. 4, the road to forming a government remains long.
President Isaac Herzog will have until Nov. 11 to task a candidate with forming a government, and that candidate will not necessarily be the leader of the largest party.
Kan 11 exit poll: Likud wins 25 seats, Yashar! takes 21
According to the Kan 11 exit poll, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud wins 25 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar! secures 21 and B'Yachad wins 14.
The Joint List receives 10 seats and Ra'am seven, giving the two Arab parties a combined 17 seats.
The Democrats win 10 seats, Yisrael Beytenu eight and Otzma Yehudit seven. Shas, United Torah Judaism and Religious Zionism each secure six seats.
Based on the distribution of seats, Eisenkot's bloc wins 53 seats, Netanyahu's bloc takes 50, and the Arab parties hold 17.
Following an update to the Kan 11 exit poll, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad party drops from 14 to 13 seats, while the Joint List rises from 10 to 11. As a result, the anti-Netanyahu bloc falls to 52 seats and the Arab parties increase their combined tally to 18, while Netanyahu's bloc remains unchanged at 50 seats.
According to the updated Channel 12 News exit poll, the Democrats rise to 10 seats, while Yisrael Beytenu receives nine. The balance of power between the political blocs remains unchanged.
Channel 12 exit poll: Arab parties secure 18 seats
According to the Channel 12 News exit poll, Netanyahu's Likud wins 24 seats, while Eisenkot's Yashar! receives 22 and B'Yachad takes 12.
The Joint List secures 11 seats and Ra'am seven, giving the two Arab parties a combined 18 seats.
Yisrael Beytenu and the Democrats each win nine seats, Shas takes eight, and United Torah Judaism, Religious Zionism and Otzma Yehudit each receive six.
The poll puts Likud in first place, but leaves the identity of Israel's next prime minister unresolved.
Channel 13 exit poll: Likud wins 25 seats, Yashar! takes 23
According to the Channel 13 News exit poll, Netanyahu's Likud wins 25 seats, Eisenkot's Yashar! secures 23, and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad takes 14.
The Joint List receives 10 seats and Ra'am seven, giving the Arab parties a combined 17 seats.
The Democrats win nine seats, while Yisrael Beytenu and United Torah Judaism each take seven. Otzma Yehudit, Religious Zionism and Zehut, and Shas each receive six seats.
According to the poll, Likud remains the largest party, but neither political bloc has an outright majority of 61 seats.
Channel 14 exit poll: Right-wing bloc wins 60 seats, Likud takes 30
According to the Channel 14 exit poll, the right-wing bloc wins 60 seats, the left-wing bloc 43, and the Arab parties 17.
Netanyahu's Likud emerges as the largest party with 30 seats, while Eisenkot's Yashar! receives 19 and Bennett's B'Yachad wins 11.
Shas takes nine seats, while United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, and Religious Zionism and Zehut each win seven. The Democrats secure nine seats, while Yisrael Beytenu receives just four.
Among the Arab parties, the Joint List wins 10 seats and Ra'am seven.
Compared with pollster Shlomo Filber's previous survey, the right-wing bloc loses two seats, while the Arab parties gain three.
