Netanyahu's bloc unexpectedly won clear backing of Israeli Jews

Benjamin Netanyahu won the support of an unexpectedly clear majority of Israeli Jews in an election billed as a major turning point in his nation's history, apparently ensuring he will survive as prime minister at least in a caretaker role.

With around 70.7% of votes tallied Israeli media forecast Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties winning 54 seats in parliament, far surpassing 47 for the opposition bloc of rival Gadi Eisenkot. Parties representing Israelis of Arab descent would win 19.

The results could still change as counting continued, but a victory for Eisenkot appeared increasingly out of reach, as his bloc of anti-Netanyahu parties from centre-left to hard-right underperformed pre-election polls that forecast a tight race. While Netanyahu lost his bloc's majority in the 120-seat Knesset, as expected, opponents were left with no hope of unseating him without some form of backing of Arab parties, which many have ruled out. Even then, he would remain as caretaker during any coalition negotiations, or until a new election next year.

Eisenkot acknowledged that Netanyahu was still in office as a caretaker, but said the prime minister had lost public support and urged him to retire from politics. He also said that Netanyahu might use security for political ends.

The election was the first held in Israel since Hamas-led fighters killed 1,200 people and carried off 251 hostages in attacks that shattered the country's sense of security and plunged it into war in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. The war in Gaza, which flattened the territory and killed 74,000 Palestinians, has left Israel increasingly isolated on the world stage, with a decisive shift in global public opinion against it, including in its closest ally the US.

Netanyahu's supporters believe he is protecting Israel's security and Jewish identity in the face of international pressure and liberal elites at home. Detractors say Netanyahu, facing an ongoing corruption trial, dragged out the war in Gaza and its hostage crisis for political reasons. They say he is undermining Israel's independent judiciary. And they accuse his government of allowing ultra-Orthodox religious Jews to avoid military conscription.