Election Polls Fail to Predict Results, Major Israeli News Outlets Miss Target

Major Israeli news channels, including Kan 11, Channel 12, and Channel 13, significantly mispredicted the election results, particularly regarding Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party. For months, these outlets consistently projected the Likud would receive around 20 Knesset seats. In contrast, polls conducted by i24NEWS and Direct Polls, led by Tzuriel Sharon, suggested a higher number, between 26 and 27 seats for Netanyahu's party.

The discrepancy became glaring on election night when exit polls were released. The initial projections from Channels 11, 12, and 13 showed Netanyahu securing 24-25 seats, already deviating from their earlier forecasts and closer to the i24NEWS/Direct Polls figures. Tzuriel Sharon's exit poll placed Netanyahu at 27 seats, aligning with i24NEWS's consistent predictions throughout the campaign.

As the night progressed, all major news channels updated their exit poll results, converging on Netanyahu receiving 27 seats, mirroring the i24NEWS projection. Following the release of the exit polls, party leaders addressed their supporters. Prime Minister Netanyahu declared the Likud the largest party in Israel and asserted that the right-wing bloc holds a clear majority, calling for the "Zionist and Jewish majority to unite" to form a "strong, national, right-wing government."

Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, stated that the public voted for change and that holding new elections would be a mistake given the high voter turnout. He pledged to do everything possible to form a "Zionist enlistment government" committed to a democratic and Jewish State of Israel, the Declaration of Independence, universal service, and the dismantling of Hamas.