Symbolic imageIsrael heads into deadlocked election as Trump again backs Netanyahu
Israelis vote on Tuesday with neither bloc near 61 seats, though polls put Gadi Eisenkot's opposition narrowly ahead.
The final polls give the opposition 54 seats to 48 for Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc (Maariv), 54 to 50 (Channel 13) and 52 to 50 (KAN), with Eisenkot's Yashar ahead of Likud in each. On Sunday, 25 October, Donald Trump endorsed Netanyahu a second time on Truth Social, writing that with anyone else as leader America would have to handle Iran itself. The Jerusalem Post reports, citing two American sources, that Netanyahu had pressed Trump's circle for new statements.
Fear tactics in the final days
Netanyahu posted an AI-generated image of a nuclear blast over Tel Aviv, calling Iran an existential threat. Eisenkot accused him of fearmongering, and Democrats chairman Yair Golan urged that he be kept off social media. Reuters reports he was rebuked over a plan to use crypto to bypass sanctions.
Arab parties may decide
Eisenkot would need Arab-led parties, projected at about 13 seats by Al Jazeera, as partners or outside support. Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas signals willingness, but Eisenkot and most opposition leaders have ruled out an alliance. Handelsblatt notes Netanyahu could stay on as caretaker if no government forms.