In Other News · United States

Source: Axios

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's far-right coalition is projected to lose its parliamentary majority, but his opponent Gadi Eisenkot's bloc is short of 61 seats, according to Israeli exit polls. The exit polls shows Eisenkot's bloc with 52 to 53 seats, Netanyahu's with 50, and Arab parties with 17 to 18.Why it matters: If the election results match that poll, Eisenkot would have to try to swear in a minority government supported by the two Arab parties. It's unclear whether all of his political partners would agree to do that. It would also mean that Netanyahu's coalition shed 14 seats from the 64 seats it won in the 2022 elections.Driving the news: The exit poll results came after voters flocked to polling stations throughout the day, with turnout reaching a four-decade high. It was the culmination of a campaign that each side warned would lead to catastrophe if the other side won.An Eisenkot-bloc victory would offer Israel a chance to reset its strained relationships abroad and chart a new course domestically. The former Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff, however, vowed to maintain a hawkish approach on security matters.Yes, but: Though Eisenkot's bloc outpaced Netanyahu's, the incumbent prime minister's Likud...