World·Israel
Israel votes: turnout is the highest since 1981 as Netanyahu and Eisenkot fight a near-tie; exit polls at 3 p.m. CT
Israelis are voting Tuesday in the first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, attack, and turnout is at its highest since 1981, the BBC reported. Final polls show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu almost neck-and-neck with former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, but neither bloc is projected to reach the 61 seats needed for a majority; Israeli broadcasters publish exit polls at 22:00 local time (3 p.m. CT), and many soldiers' votes won't be counted until Wednesday. Netanyahu denied reports by Israel's Channel 12 and CNN that he had pushed for new strikes on Iran before the vote.
Sources
- BBC NewsTurnout highest since 1981 as Israelis vote in pivotal election