28-10-2026
Supporters of Gadi Eisenkot celebrated after preliminary exit-poll projections showed Israel’s anti-Netanyahu bloc with a narrow lead over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allies. The bloc was projected to win 52–53 seats, compared with approximately 50 for Netanyahu’s side. Neither camp appeared close to the 61 seats required to command a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Likud was projected to remain the largest individual party, with 24–25 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar party was projected to finish second with 21–23. Despite the uncertain arithmetic, Eisenkot declared victory and claimed the first opportunity to form a government. The projections prompted chants at his supporters’ gathering, including calls for Netanyahu to leave office and slogans presenting Eisenkot as the next prime minister. In Tel Aviv, Pink Front activists also celebrated at Habima Square, waving pink heart flags, entering the reflecting pool and drinking sparkling wine as results emerged. Ohad Ben Ami, a former hostage held by Hamas and an honorary candidate on Yashar’s list, attended the party’s rally. He criticised the government’s conduct of negotiations and said captives had been abandoned. The reported figures were preliminary, so they did not settle who would govern. The article notes that coalition negotiations were expected to take weeks before a prime minister could be confirmed. The gap between the two blocs, the lack of a projected majority and the need for negotiations leave the political outcome unresolved, even as opposition supporters treated the early projections as cause for celebration.
Entities: Gadi Eisenkot, Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud, Yashar, Pink Front • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Exit polls in Israel’s October 28 election suggest that Arab-led parties could win a record combined 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset, amid exceptionally high participation by Palestinian citizens of Israel. With more than a third of votes counted, the Joint List had won more than 9 percent, while the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party was trailing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition in preliminary results. Turnout among Palestinian citizens was estimated at about 80 percent, while overall turnout reached 77.7 percent—the highest since 1999, according to the Central Elections Committee.
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas said the preliminary numbers did not yet give either side a governing majority. He hopes the anti-Netanyahu bloc, which includes Ra’am, can reach the 61 seats needed to form a government. Abbas said both major blocs had contacted his party. Ra’am currently holds five seats and participated in Israel’s governing coalition from 2021 to 2022.
Former Israeli ambassador Alon Pinkas said parties that campaigned against forming coalitions with Arab parties may find it difficult to assemble a government. He argued that Arab parties cannot be excluded and then approached only when their votes are needed, while noting that their demands could be unacceptable to a Jewish-led coalition.
The article also describes Netanyahu and his far-right allies’ efforts to mobilize voters by drawing attention to turnout in Arab communities. Arab politicians condemned the tactic as racist and inflammatory. Witnesses reported cars displaying Likud flags driving through Jerusalem and urging people to vote because “Arabs are voting”; Netanyahu also shared images of queues at Arab polling stations and warned against a government involving Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi.
Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh characterized the election as an “existential moment” for Palestinian citizens, saying high turnout included people who usually boycott elections or doubt voting can change their circumstances. She pointed to systemic discrimination, including more than 100 laws passed by the Knesset that she said discriminate against Palestinian citizens, as well as unequal access to state funding.
Entities: Palestinian citizens of Israel, Joint List, Ra’am (United Arab List), Mansour Abbas, Gadi Eisenkot • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Israel’s parliamentary election remains inconclusive, with partial official results and exit polls showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot short of the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority. With 55 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu’s bloc had 56 seats and Eisenkot’s alliance 49, while earlier exit polls produced varying projections. Likud appeared likely to be the largest single party, and Arab-led parties were projected to win a combined 19 seats.
The vote was widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership and a response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks and Israel’s subsequent war on Gaza. It took place amid escalating violence in the occupied West Bank and tensions with neighbouring countries. Eisenkot and other opposition figures interpreted the results as a demand for political change, while Netanyahu asserted that the right-wing bloc had a majority. Far-right leaders Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir also welcomed their parties’ projected performances; Smotrich pledged to continue settlement expansion.
Turnout reached 77.7 percent, the highest since 1999, and was up 7.1 percentage points from 2022. Arab parties could be pivotal: neither leading bloc appeared able to govern without additional partners, yet both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have previously rejected forming coalitions with Arab parties. Former ambassador Alon Pinkas said excluding Arab parties while seeking their votes could carry political costs.
After the final count, parties will negotiate to assemble a government. President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and nominate the candidate he considers most likely to succeed; that person will have up to 42 days to form a government. Options include a minority government or a power-sharing arrangement. If negotiations fail, Netanyahu’s cabinet would continue as a caretaker government and new elections would be called. The final tally was expected by Friday, with formal results due November 4.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, Central Elections Committee, Knesset, Likud • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
The Al Jazeera Newsfeed report covers comments by Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot after polls closed in Israel’s 2026 election. In his first public remarks following the close of voting, Eisenkot said that millions of Israelis had voted for change. He characterized voters as tired of what he called Benjamin Netanyahu’s “lies,” presenting dissatisfaction with the incumbent as a major theme of the election. Eisenkot also warned Netanyahu against using Israel’s security to serve his own political interests. The report therefore highlights two elements of Eisenkot’s message: his claim that the election reflected a public desire for political change, and his criticism of Netanyahu’s conduct and use of security issues. The supplied article does not provide vote totals, election results, further statements from Netanyahu, or additional details about the campaign. Its focus is limited to Eisenkot’s immediate reaction after voting ended. Overall, it is a brief, news-style account of an opposition leader’s post-poll comments rather than a detailed analysis of the election or its outcome.
Entities: Gadi Eisenkot, Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Israeli opposition, Israel election 2026 • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
The brief Al Jazeera Newsfeed item reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the prospect of forming a government with Arab parties as “a disgrace and a shame.” The report places his statement in the context of election projections: exit polls indicate that neither Netanyahu’s party nor the opposition is expected to win the 61 seats in the Knesset required to secure a parliamentary majority. That result could make coalition-building necessary, although the item does not say what arrangements will ultimately be made or whether Netanyahu will work with any Arab parties. The central issue is therefore the tension between Netanyahu’s rejection of such a partnership and the projected parliamentary arithmetic, which may leave both major political camps short of a majority. The item is a short video-news description rather than a detailed account. It offers no additional explanation of the polls, identifies no specific Arab parties, and gives no further comments from political figures. It also does not provide results beyond the exit-poll projections. Its focus is limited to Netanyahu’s characterization of a possible coalition and the potential difficulty of forming a government without the necessary Knesset seats. The item is dated October 28, 2026.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel, Arab parties, Knesset, Israeli government formation • Tone: neutral • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Israel’s election exit polls and partial vote count point to a closely divided Knesset, with neither of the main political blocs clearly positioned to form a government. Citing the Times of Israel, Al Jazeera reports that results from just over 55 percent of ballot boxes counted give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led coalition 56 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has 49. Arab-led parties not aligned with either bloc are projected to hold 15 seats in the 120-seat parliament.
Opposition leaders portrayed the projections as a decisive repudiation of Netanyahu’s government. Eisenkot said the early figures showed a “complete lack of confidence in Netanyahu and the October 7 government,” while Yair Lapid described the result as a “crushing defeat” and called on the government to leave office. Supporters at Eisenkot’s Tel Aviv gathering cheered as reported voter turnout reached 77.7 percent, according to Israel’s Central Elections Committee.
Netanyahu’s allies rejected the opposition’s claims as premature. Foreign Minister Gideon Saar argued that the final count could alter the balance and noted that Likud remained the largest individual party. Meanwhile, Arab political leaders emphasized that their parties could influence coalition negotiations. United Arab List leader Mansour Abbas said his party intended to turn its mandate into change, while Joint List candidate Faten Gattas linked strong participation among Palestinian citizens of Israel to opposition to the return of Netanyahu’s nationalist coalition.
With neither bloc holding a governing majority, smaller parties may determine the outcome of coalition talks, which are expected to begin in the coming days. The article presents competing interpretations of uncertain election projections and highlights the pivotal role that Arab-led and other smaller parties could play.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid, Gideon Saar, Mansour Abbas • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Benjamin Netanyahu told supporters that Israel needs a right-wing government to protect its long-term security, rejecting reliance on Arab parties he described as opposed to Israel’s existence. He spoke at Likud headquarters in West Jerusalem after polls closed in Israel’s legislative election and early projections were released. With more than half of ballots counted, one projection gave Netanyahu’s bloc 56 seats and Gadi Eisenkot’s alliance 49, leaving neither with an apparent straightforward route to a governing majority. Likud was projected to win about 27 seats, ahead of Eisenkot’s Yashar party with 21, making Likud the largest party. Netanyahu cautioned that the final results would take another day or two to emerge.
In his speech, Netanyahu highlighted actions taken during his current term, which began in 2022. He claimed Israel had killed senior figures including Mohammed Deif, Ismail Haniyeh, Yahya Sinwar, Hassan Nasrallah, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei; established security zones in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria; and weakened Iran. He described Israel as stronger than ever and said the country had a historic opportunity, alongside US President Donald Trump, to eliminate the Iranian threat.
The article also reports uncertainty about how a government could be formed. Former Israeli ambassador Alon Pinkas said the party with the most seats might have to pursue an uncomfortable coalition arrangement, while opposition voters would resist a deal with Netanyahu’s bloc. Al Jazeera analyst Marwan Bishara characterized Netanyahu’s remarks as an effort to project success despite difficulty forming a coalition, adding that Likud’s projected standing would represent its weakest result since 2009. Political analyst Dan Perry likewise said Netanyahu was trying to spin the election situation after the exit polls. The article therefore presents Netanyahu’s claims alongside projections and critical assessments of his electoral prospects.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud, Gadi Eisenkot, Yashar, Israel’s legislative election • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Exit polls from Israel’s election indicate that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party is the largest, but neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition’s “change bloc” has a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset. That leaves both sides facing difficult negotiations to assemble a government. The two Arab parties won more seats than in any previous election, following unusually high turnout among Arab citizens, who make up about 20% of Israel’s population. Yet both Netanyahu and his opponents have said they would not rely on Arab parties, though the opposition could reverse that pledge and seek their support or abstention to form a government.
The election is the first since Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attacks, which Israeli authorities have described as the country’s worst security failure since its founding. Voting took place as Israel remained engaged in a multi-front war involving Gaza, Lebanon and Syria, after two direct rounds of conflict with Iran. Netanyahu argued that he needed more time to continue military campaigns, and President Donald Trump publicly endorsed him, warning that U.S. support could change if Netanyahu lost power.
The opposition is a diverse collection of parties united mainly by their desire to remove Netanyahu. Its prospective leader is former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, a centrist whose Yashar party presents him as a unifying alternative. Eisenkot criticized Netanyahu after the exit polls and called on a leader facing public non-confidence to retire. He previously served alongside Netanyahu in the war cabinet and lost his son and two nephews in military service in Gaza.
If neither bloc secures a majority, lawmakers may switch sides, negotiations could continue for weeks, or the opposition could attempt a minority government with Arab-party support or abstentions. If no coalition can be formed, Israel could hold another election. The article notes that electoral deadlock led to five Israeli elections between 2019 and 2022.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, Donald Trump, Israel, Knesset • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Israel’s election remained unresolved after exit polls showed neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor challenger Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc close to the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. One Channel 13 poll put both blocs at 51 seats, while Channel 12 and Kan 11 showed Eisenkot’s side narrowly ahead, 52 to 50. Arab-led parties were projected to win 17 to 18 seats, their strongest showing ever. These figures are preliminary: official results are expected on Nov. 4.
Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, declared victory and argued that the preliminary results gave him the first opportunity to form a government. He described the exit polls as evidence of a lack of confidence in Netanyahu and his government. Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest for a Knesset election in 27 years, according to the Central Elections Committee.
The election was Israel’s first national vote since Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023 attack and the wars that followed in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. It was widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has dominated Israeli politics since 2009. Supporters credit him with guiding Israel through the war and resisting international pressure; critics cite his corruption trial, judicial overhaul efforts and conduct of the Gaza war. He also faces an International Criminal Court arrest warrant related to the Gaza campaign, which he rejects.
The Arab-led parties’ projected gains may shape coalition negotiations. Their positions on Palestine bring them closer to Eisenkot’s camp, but neither Eisenkot nor Netanyahu has said they would rely on them. Avigdor Liberman, whose party is projected to win seven to nine seats, has opposed relying on Arab parties. Netanyahu and far-right allies warned about Arab voter participation, drawing accusations of racism. Analysts say Eisenkot could struggle to form a majority without Arab and left-wing partners, and that Netanyahu may use weeks or months of negotiations to delay a new government and fight to remain in power.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, Israel, Knesset, Channel 13, Channel 12 and Kan 11 • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Supporters of Gadi Eisenkot celebrated in Tel Aviv after preliminary exit polls showed Israel’s opposition bloc with a narrow lead over Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp. The projections gave the anti-Netanyahu bloc 52–53 seats, compared with about 50 for Netanyahu’s allies. Neither side was projected to reach the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, leaving the election without a clear winner and making coalition negotiations likely to determine who forms the next government.
Likud was projected to remain the largest single party with 24–25 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar party was forecast to take 21–23. Eisenkot declared victory and said the results gave him the first right to form a government. At his rally, supporters chanted slogans calling for Netanyahu to leave and hailing Eisenkot as the next prime minister.
Elsewhere in Tel Aviv, Pink Front activists gathered at Habima Square, waving pink heart flags, entering the reflecting pool and celebrating with sparkling wine as results emerged. Ohad Ben Ami, a former hostage held by Hamas and an honorary candidate on Yashar’s list, attended the party rally. He criticised the government’s handling of negotiations and said the captives had been abandoned.
The article stresses that the projections are preliminary. Despite the opposition bloc’s narrow lead, both camps appear short of a parliamentary majority, and weeks of coalition negotiations are expected before a prime minister is confirmed.
Entities: Gadi Eisenkot, Benjamin Netanyahu, Ohad Ben Ami, Tel Aviv, Israel • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
Israeli voters turned out in record numbers for the country’s first general election since the Hamas-led attacks of October 7, 2023. The vote was framed as a wartime judgment on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose government has since faced criticism over the security failures preceding the attacks, its conduct of wars involving Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, and policies that have deepened Israel’s international isolation. The Central Elections Committee reported that 66.7% of eligible voters had cast ballots within the first nine hours, a record pace with six hours of voting still remaining.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving leader, urged supporters to vote, arguing that turnout was high among his opponents and Arab Israelis. His principal challenger, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, sought support from right- and centre-wing parties and the weakened left. Polls indicated a close contest, while Israel’s fragmented parliamentary system could make it difficult for either side to form a government. If no coalition can be formed, Netanyahu could remain caretaker prime minister pending another election.
For many opponents, the election centred on accountability for October 7. Eisenkot promised a new direction and said his government would seek to dismantle Hamas’s military and governing power in Gaza within 18 months. Opposition groups also pledged a national inquiry into the security failures, something Netanyahu’s government has resisted. Arab Israeli participation was described as potentially decisive, though Eisenkot ruled out a formal partnership with Arab parties; some scenarios could still see them support a minority government. Netanyahu has previously portrayed Arab Israeli voters as a threat, language critics have called racist.
The article also notes that Eisenkot, like nearly all major Jewish party leaders, opposes a two-state solution, while criticizing settler violence in the occupied West Bank and opposing Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners. The election therefore combines questions of security, wartime leadership, accountability and coalition-building.
Entities: Benjamin Netanyahu, Gadi Eisenkot, Ruth Epstein, Ahmed Tibi, Israel • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: neutral • Intent: inform
28-10-2026
The live updates describe how the continuing Iran war is affecting Israeli politics, regional security, diplomacy and energy markets. In Israel’s October 27 election, exit polls indicated that a majority voted against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition, although his Likud party remained the largest. Neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition appeared to have a clear majority in the 120-seat Knesset, leaving both sides facing difficult coalition negotiations. Arab parties won more seats than in any previous election, amid historic turnout among Arab citizens, but both major political camps had rejected relying on Arab parties to form a government.
The article reports that the U.S. military’s estimated cost of the war had risen to $47.1 billion by mid-October, with $29 billion attributed to replacing spent munitions. The estimate excludes damage to U.S. bases in the Middle East. A Congressional Budget Office report had estimated the conflict could cost $2 billion to $3 billion monthly for as long as it continued. Brent crude prices dipped slightly, while senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks with Iran in an effort to prevent the war from reigniting.
Diplomatic and security developments included International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi’s demand that Iran allow inspectors access to nuclear facilities and materials. The agency has lacked access to key sites since U.S. and Israeli strikes in June 2025; Iran’s referral to the U.N. Security Council over nuclear reporting non-compliance was described as largely symbolic because China and Russia could veto sanctions.
In Yemen, renewed fighting between Iran-backed Houthi forces and Saudi-backed government forces killed nearly 100 combatants, with clashes near the strategically important Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Separately, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian discussed expanded energy cooperation, including oil, gas and natural gas exports, as Iran faced a U.S. blockade on its ports. The final, incomplete update headline says a French diplomat was “intimidated” in Iran by suspected security agents.
Entities: Iran war, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Likud, Knesset • Tone: analytical • Sentiment: negative • Intent: inform
