❗️Netanyahu claims right-wing mandate as exit polls show deadlocked Israeli Knesset race Following a high-stakes parliamentary election marked by soaring voter turnout, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed early this morning that right-wing parties had secured a "decisive majority" among the Zionist public, calling for the immediate formation of a "national right-wing government." Netanyahu's defiant declaration came despite exit polls and preliminary counts indicating that neither the incumbent coalition nor the opposition bloc has managed to cross the 61-seat threshold required to command an outright majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Television exit polls released immediately after voting closed at 10:00 PM showed a razor-thin margin, placing Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc only slightly ahead of the primary opposition alliance, according to i24 News. While official vote tabulation remains underway through the Central Elections Committee, the fragmented projections point to a political stalemate, dashing the prime minister's hopes of an unencumbered parliamentary victory. The deadlock sets the stage for intensive backroom coalition maneuvering as both sides court smaller factions to break the legislative paralysis.