Israeli Election Night: Bennett Declares Netanyahu Defeated, Calls for New Government
Translated & summarized from Vesty by baba
Naftali Bennett declared Benjamin Netanyahu defeated following exit polls, stating the "government of October 7th will go home" and calling for a new Zionist government. Other opposition leaders, including Yair Lapid and Gadi Eisenkot, echoed calls for change and a Zionist government. Avigdor Lieberman urged an "uprising" within Likud to oust Netanyahu. Exit polls showed a near tie between the blocs, with Arab parties holding a significant bloc of seats. Netanyahu's advisor urged patience.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Naftali Bennett stated Benjamin Netanyahu lost the election and his government would "go home."
- Yair Lapid declared "The people of Israel have won" and called for forming a Zionist government.
- Gadi Eisenkot said a larger Zionist majority opposed Netanyahu and urged him to concede.
- Avigdor Lieberman called for an "uprising" within the Likud party to remove Netanyahu.
- Exit polls indicated a 51-51 seat tie between the main blocs, with Arab parties gaining 18 seats.
- Netanyahu's advisor Topaz Luk posted a single word: "Patience."
Following the release of exit polls in Israel's general election, Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Be-Yahad bloc, stated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had lost and that the "government of October 7th will go home." Speaking from his party's headquarters in Tel Aviv early Wednesday, October 28th, Bennett expressed confidence in the "change bloc" leaders coordinating their efforts to form a "Zionist government." Yair Lapid, second in command on the Be-Yahad list, echoed this sentiment, declaring "The people of Israel have won" and that the state had "saved itself," emphasizing the task of forming a Zionist government.
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yashar party, also addressed supporters, asserting that the Israeli public had decided on change and that a larger Zionist majority opposed Netanyahu. He suggested a "worthy leader" would concede defeat and called new elections a mistake. Eisenkot urged security leaders to "stand firm" and warned Netanyahu not to "dare use Israel's security for your political needs," calling him a "temporary prime minister."
Avigdor Lieberman, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, called for an "uprising" within the Likud party to facilitate the formation of a "Zionist coalition." He urged Likud members and Knesset members to publicly voice their opposition to Netanyahu, whom he accused of "destroying the national camp."
Yair Golan, leader of the Democrats party, stated that the public had "fired the Netanyahu government" and that a "historic opportunity" to form a government of change must not be missed. Meanwhile, Channel 13 updated its exit poll, showing a 51-51 seat tie between the blocs, with Arab parties securing 18 seats. Defense Minister Israel Katz urged the opposition to show restraint and await official results, warning they might attempt to form a minority government with Arab party support.
Topaz Luk, an advisor to Prime Minister Netanyahu, posted a single word on social media platform X: "Patience."
Mentioned
The same event, reported separately by each outlet. Open a few to compare what different newsrooms emphasize — and what they leave out.
Centre 1Right 1Other 1
Not the same event — other stories that share this one’s people, places, or theme: background, reactions, and follow-ups.
