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Israeli Election Deadlock: Netanyahu and Eisenkot Blocs Tied · Israel Today: Ongoing War Report

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  Speaker 1: You're listening to Israel Today ongoing war report. I'm Noah Levi.
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  Speaker 1: Israelis turned out in record numbers for the 2026 Knesset
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  Speaker 1: elections amidst deep divisions and three years of war. According
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  Speaker 1: to exit polls reported by CAN11 and Channel 13, neither
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  Speaker 1: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor that of Gadi Eisenkot's
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  Speaker 1: Yashar party secured a clear majority. resulting in a 51-51 tie.
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  Speaker 1: Preliminary counts with around 42% of votes tallied suggest Likud
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  Speaker 1: could win 28 seats, while Yashar might secure 21, and
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  Speaker 1: Arab parties are projected to gain significantly, potentially reaching 16 seats.
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  Speaker 1: Other projections indicate a 60-60 split, with the coalition bloc
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  Speaker 1: nearing a 60-seat majority, though the final outcome remains uncertain
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  Speaker 1: pending the count of approximately 600,000 votes from soldiers and diplomats.
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  Speaker 1: which are expected to be tallied by Thursday night or
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  Speaker 1: Friday morning. These votes could potentially tip the balance, as
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  Speaker 1: soldiers are noted to lean further to the right. Amidst
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  Speaker 1: this electoral uncertainty, former US President Donald Trump has claimed
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  Speaker 1: significant influence. In posts on his Truth Social account, Trump
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  Speaker 1: stated that his express support for Benjamin Netanyahu transformed the
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  Speaker 1: whole trend of the election, steering it from a potential
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  Speaker 1: crushing defeat towards a dramatic draw, or even a victory.
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  Speaker 1: He reiterated this sentiment, saying his support was because he
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  Speaker 1: wants only the best for the Middle East, Israel and
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  Speaker 1: the United States. Meanwhile, in a development signalling potential policy shifts,
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  Speaker 1: Finance Minister Beitzal El-Smotrich has pledged to expand Jewish settlements
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  Speaker 1: in both the Gaza Strip and the West Bank. This
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  Speaker 1: comes as his religious Zionist party is projected to win
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  Speaker 1: six Knesset seats, a performance that defied earlier polls and
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  Speaker 1: suggested it might fail to enter Parliament. Writing in the
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  Speaker 1: New York Times, Senior correspondent Brett Stevens analysed the election,
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  Speaker 1: suggesting the core stake was not Israel's international standing, but
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  Speaker 1: whether the nation would finally have a government worthy of it.
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  Speaker 1: He argued that since returning to power in 2022, Netanyahu
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  Speaker 1: has been divisive, but also credited him with economic achievements
• 2:18
  Speaker 1: and strategic partnerships. For continuing coverage of antisemitism around the world,
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  Speaker 1: slash watch. I'm Noah Levi, thank you for listening to
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  Speaker 1: Israel Today ongoing war report. Stay safe and informed. Follow
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  Speaker 1: this AI generated report may contain occasional inaccuracies, so consult
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