Exit polls show tight Netanyahu-Eisenkot race after Israel's election

Coalition talks could last weeks without an outright majority

Israeli voters cast ballots Tuesday in a national election deciding whether to keep Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition in power or force a change. According to early exit polls, as reported by NPR, Netanyahu was in a tight race with his top rival, Gadi Eisenkot, after voting ended at 10 p.m. local time. NPR described Eisenkot as a center-right former military chief of staff. Election officials said turnout was set to be Israel’s highest in nearly 40 years. The final tally was unlikely to be known until Wednesday, and identifying Israel’s next prime minister could take days or weeks if no bloc won an outright majority.

This was Israel’s first parliamentary election since the October 2023 Hamas-led attack and came after years of war in Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East. NPR reported, “Israelis consider this one of their most consequential votes in history.” Voters were choosing between continued rule by Netanyahu’s coalition and a change of course, while the tight exit-poll race left the final result and the process for choosing the next prime minister unsettled.

Turnout enthusiasm was especially high among voters seeking to replace Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, who has held office for almost two decades across multiple tenures. NPR described Netanyahu’s coalition as far-right.

Netanyahu voiced alarm throughout the day in social media posts about the high number of Arab citizens of Israel who turned out at the polls, and he urged his right-wing supporters to vote. Two predominantly Arab parties were contesting the election.

Voter Naama Aaronsohn said the stakes were being underestimated. “Important is an underestimation, because it’s much more than important. It’s crucial,” she said. “I’m worried. … What’s going to become of our country if there’s not a major change?”

Nur Abu Na, a 30-year-old Arab voter, said: “This government it’s not good for us and … not good for anyone.”

Voter Itamar Ariel said there were problems in Israel but no one could replace Netanyahu. He said his choice was about security for Israel.

The final tally was unlikely to be known until Wednesday; even then, without an outright majority, identifying Israel’s next prime minister could take days or weeks as party leaders tried to assemble a governing coalition.

President Trump publicly endorsed Netanyahu. NPR reported that Trump and Netanyahu had gone to war together against Iran in June 2025 and again this February, and that the two leaders planned to launch major attacks against Iran after the Israeli and U.S. midterm elections.

Separately, a source told NPR that the U.S. and Israel were planning for a possible attack on Iran.

Daniel Estrin reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Ruth Sherlock reported from Jerusalem. Samantha Balaban, Itay Stern, Shir David and Alon Avital contributed reporting in Israel.