Netanyahu Bloc Leads in Knesset Poll, Falls Short of Majority

A poll released by i24NEWS following the conclusion of the 26th Knesset elections indicates that the Likud party is projected to be the largest party with 27 seats. The Yishr party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, is expected to secure 20 seats, followed by the Bichad party with 15 seats. The Democrats and the Joint List are each predicted to win nine seats.

According to the poll, the right-wing bloc, headed by Benjamin Netanyahu, is projected to receive 55 mandates, while the "change bloc", comprising Yishr, Bichad, Democrats, and Yisrael Beiteinu, is expected to garner 49 mandates. The Arab parties, the Joint List and Ra'am, together are projected to win 16 seats.

Notably, neither bloc is projected to reach the 61-seat majority required to form a government independently. The Netanyahu bloc holds a six-seat advantage over the change bloc but still requires an additional six seats for a majority. The formation of the next government will likely depend on agreements between various factions and the stance of the Arab parties.

It is important to note that these are preliminary poll results and not the final election outcomes. The distribution of mandates may change as the vote count progresses throughout the night and in the coming days. The article also references past election polls to assess their accuracy.