Israel Votes in Highest Turnout Since 1999

Israeli voters cast ballots at a rate of 77.7% as of 10 p.m. Tuesday, the Central Elections Committee reported. That figure marks the highest participation since 1999. The election pits Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Gadi Eisenkot, a center-right former military chief of staff. Exit polls showed a close contest, with the lead shifting between the two candidates in the early hours after voting closed.

This is the first parliamentary election held since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. That event triggered wars in Gaza and across the Middle East. Many voters said the stakes were high because of the ongoing conflict and the government's handling of security. Naama Aaronsohn, a voter, described the day as more than important. She said she was worried about the country's future if major change did not happen. Itamar Ariel, who voted for Netanyahu, argued that security concerns made him the only viable candidate despite internal problems.

The race involves 120 seats in the Knesset. Early exit polls indicated that Netanyahu's Likud Party won the most seats, while Eisenkot's Yashar party came in second. No single party secured a majority. Shira Efron, an Israeli policy analyst at the Rand Corp., told NPR that the preliminary results were a very good outcome for Eisenkot. Eisenkot told supporters at a party in Tel Aviv that the public had voted for change. However, he acknowledged that the final picture would take time to emerge.

Netanyahu's supporters gathered in Jerusalem for an election night event. Large screens displayed videos of military operations and clips of President Donald Trump shaking hands with the prime minister. Trump had urged Israeli voters to reelect Netanyahu to finish the job they started. Elie Pieprz, a Netanyahu supporter, said he expected the results to shift in his candidate's favor. He noted that Netanyahu has a history of overcoming early polling disadvantages. Pieprz believed voters would stick with their current leadership during the war against Iran.

Voting in majority-Arab areas also drew attention. Nur Abu Na, a 30-year-old nurse, said the current government was not good for her community. She noted that two predominantly Arab blocs are part of the election. Netanyahu posted on social media throughout the day to alert his right-wing base about high Arab turnout. He urged his supporters to vote in large numbers to counter the trend.

The final tally will take time to count. Votes will continue to be processed on Wednesday. If no bloc wins a majority, party leaders will spend days or weeks negotiating to form a government. The outcome will determine who leads Israel's next chapter in a region strained by conflict and shifting international support.