Tens of thousands of Israeli soldiers are deployed in various parts of the country ahead of the parliamentary elections. The army is on high alert and air defenses have been strengthened, Israeli public television “Kan“ reported, quoted by DPA.
The measures were taken despite the assessment by security officials that the probability of missile attacks from Iran or Lebanon is low. The military is also planning exercises to respond to a surprise attack on several fronts.
About 7.3 million people are eligible to vote for a new parliament. These are the first parliamentary elections in Israel since the “Hamas“ attack on October 7, 2023, in which many people were killed. The country continues to face deep social divisions, with many calling the vote "the most important in Israel's history."
A tight race between Yashar and Likud
According to the latest polls, the centrist Yashar party, led by former IDF chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, could become the largest political force in the Knesset by a narrow margin. It is followed by the right-wing conservative Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The projections do not give certainty that either political camp will easily be able to form a governing coalition. It is the distribution of mandates and the possibilities for negotiation after the vote that will determine who gets a chance to form the next government.
The results will be released in several stages
The election commission does not expect the preliminary final results to be announced until Thursday at the earliest. The official results are due eight days after the election. Experience from previous votes shows that the balance of power may change by the time all ballots are counted.
After the results are announced, President Yitzhak Herzog will have seven days to nominate a candidate to form a government. The nominated candidate will have 28 days to form a coalition.
Sources: bta.bg