Exit polls point to Israel election deadlock as Netanyahu falls short

Benjamin Netanyahu quickly claimed “a huge victory” for his Likud party in Israel’s unprecedented fourth election in two years — but exit polls suggest he won’t have enough seats in parliament form a ruling coalition.

Israel’s longest-serving premier thanked voters on Tuesday night, saying: “You gave a huge win to the right and Likud under my leadership. Likud is the biggest party by far. It’s clear most Israelis are right-wing, and want a strong, stable right-wing government.”

However, predictions published after polls closed suggest the prime minister and his religious and nationalist allies will ultimately fell short of a parliamentary majority, meaning there is no clear winner in the tight race.

Exit polls on Channel 11, 12 and 13 showed Likud winning between 31 and 33 seats out of 120 in the Knesset — nearly double the number of his main contender, the centrist Yesh Atid party, which came in second.