'Go home, Ben-Gvir'; Arab Bloc celebrates record turnout in Israel elections
Israel’s Joint Arab List party celebrated as exit polls projected as many as 18 parliamentary seats for the Arab-bloc. Record turnout among Arab voters is fueling optimism for their potential role in the next government prompting one former lawmaker to declare, ‘Ben-Gvir is out’.
Almost 45% of the electorate had voted by 2 p.m., the highest share since such records began in 1973. The highly anticipated vote is expected to be a close-fought contest, and perhaps even a stalemate.
Almost 45 percent of Israeli voters had cast their ballots by mid-afternoon.
While Netanyahu's party is projected to be the biggest in parliament, the anti-Netanyahu coalition looks set to have more seats. But no bloc has a clear majority.
Polls have closed in the Israeli election, but there is no clear winner.
Itamar Ben Gvir was defiant after polls show his Otzma Yehudit party has lost seats in the Israeli election.
President Isaac Herzog will task the candidate he deems best placed to form a government once results are in.