Netanyahu Vows Strong Right-Wing Government Amidst Election Uncertainty

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Tuesday night that the Likud party is the largest in Israel and that the right-wing holds a majority among Jewish and Zionist voters. He pledged to form a "strong national right-wing government" and continue his administration's policies. Netanyahu highlighted his government's "brave decisions" that he claims "changed the Middle East," citing the assassinations of Hezbollah's Hassan Nasrallah, Iran's Ali Khamenei, Hamas leaders Mohammed Deif and Yahya Sinwar, and territorial control in Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza. He stated that Iran is "weaker than ever" and Israel "stronger than ever," emphasizing that Israel has "not finished its war in the region." Netanyahu also called for the Jewish majority to "wake up and unite" and thanked his government partners, while criticizing Arab parties and accusing his opponents of seeking to form a government with "enemies of Israel." He also stated his intention to work with U.S. President Donald Trump to confront what he called Israel's "existential threat" and expand the Abraham Accords.

These statements come despite most election exit polls not granting Netanyahu's bloc the necessary parliamentary majority, though Likud led in seat count and the Zionist camps were closely matched. The Head of the National Unity Party, head of the National Unity Party, in a celebratory tone, interpreted the exit polls as a loss of voter confidence for Netanyahu's government. The Head of the National Unity Party called for Netanyahu to retire from political life, stating that voters chose change and that the "government of failure" has lost public trust. He warned against new elections given the high voter turnout, emphasizing his duty to "do everything possible to implement the will of the people." the Head of the National Unity Party also cautioned Netanyahu against using security considerations for personal and political gain, expressing support for Israeli security chiefs and urging them to maintain their independence.

The Head of the National Unity Party declared his intention to form a "Zionist conscription government" that ends internal divisions and represents all Israelis, referencing the need for Haredi military service. He reiterated his campaign conditions for forming a government, including recognizing Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, adhering to the Declaration of Independence, enacting universal military service, and dismantling Hamas. The possibility of forming an alternative government depends on the final seat distribution and the ability of parties opposing Netanyahu to overcome their differences, particularly regarding reliance on Arab party support.

Further adding to the uncertainty, betting platform Polymarket showed close odds for Netanyahu (44%) and the Head of the National Unity Party (42.7%) to form the next government, with Naftali Bennett at 6% and Avigdor Lieberman at 1.7%. The final voter turnout was 77.7%, an increase from 2022, with official vote counting ongoing and potential changes expected before final seat allocations are clear in the coming days.