Deadlocked : Netanyahu, opposition remain short of needed majority in election night for Israel

Happening today, Israelis are headed to the polls in a high-stakes election for that country's next government, as voters focus on key issues that could shape Israel's future. Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yinks, live in Tel Aviv with the latest, Trey. Yeah, hey guys, good morning. It's election day here in Israel, and voters are headed to the ballot boxes. Polls show a tight race between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger, former IDF General... Gadi Eisenkot. Neither will be able to win a majority of votes in the 120-seat Israeli Knesset, Israel's version of the parliament, and one will ultimately be tasked with forming a coalition government. By Wednesday, initial results are expected. Once the official results are in within a week, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult with each party leader who will recommend who should lead the next government. Prime Minister Netanyahu received an endorsement from President Trump, who posted a true social referencing the war against Iran, saying there can no longer be the chant heard around the world of death. Death to America. Death to Israel. And there won't be. Vote Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister. We have to finish the job we started. I saw the sign showing Trump's support for Bibi. There's nothing to talk about when it comes to the power and all these things. And the friendships between them. And of course, one compliments the other. It's a cover check, as they say. It's not something that is just up in the air. Two key issues to remember in this race. First, tens of thousands of Israelis have flown in from abroad to participate. These individuals aren't polled and are expected to vote largely against Netanyahu. Second, whoever wins will likely need support from the two Arab parties that are expected to account for around 14 seats in the Knesset. The strong turnout is expected among the Arab vote and could be the highest in history. Since this existing government was formed, we don't feel we have received our rights. We haven't received what we're supposed to receive in this country. So, since the current government was formed, until this very minute, we have been waiting for the elections so that we can vote and influence. There are more than 12,000 polling stations and more than 7 million eligible Israeli voters. The exit polls are set to be released here around 10 p.m. local time, 4 p.m. Eastern. Guys, Trey Yinks live for us in Tel Aviv. Trey, thank you. Ash, over to you. OK, Todd, let's bring in Israel's former international spokesperson to the U.N., Jonathan Haranov. Jonathan, thanks for coming on today. I want you to tell us what you think it's shaping up to look like in favor of Netanyahu possibly winning this election. Good morning, Ashley. It's great to be with you. It's certainly going to be a very hotly contested election, which is why you've seen tens of thousands of people flying in. Everyone is taking their democratic fundamental right of voting very, very seriously. Thank you very much. Netanyahu should never be underestimated. He's won countless elections, but he's got Quite fierce opposition in the form of Gadi Eisenkot. The things where there isn't too much difference between the two of them is in terms of Israel's defence posture and foreign policy. Whoever ends up taking the helm is still going to prioritise Israel's security and is never going to compromise on that. Where there is difference, you'll see, is in terms of investigations into the October 7th inquiry. That's something that General Eizenkot is very keen on. to do, especially given that his son was killed on October the 7th and also in terms of Who, which segments of Israeli society end up serving in the military. But this, as Trey mentioned, this is something that could take a very long time before we actually see who the clear winner is. And the real action actually takes place once the voting booths have closed and people start forming coalitions. And that's, that's something that really makes Israel's electoral system quite distinct and complicated. Yeah. I also want to point out Gadi Eisenkot's two nephews were also killed in the war in Gaza. He has a lot in this. I want to talk about the 330,000 young Israelis that are going to be eligible to vote in this election. How is it shaping up to look for these younger voters? Are they interested in voting and politics in that country? Is that something that you expect them to go to the polls and vote on? We're expecting turnout to be extremely high. Hi. And the younger people in Israel's population are going to go out to the polls because the outcome of the election will have a very, very clear impact on them. There isn't the kind of apathy towards... Towards the electoral system that you may see elsewhere in the world, these are people who may be young now, but in a couple of years will be putting on uniform, will be serving their country, will be shaping the trajectory of the country. And they want to have a say in the country's future for sure. Do you think President Trump endorsing Netanyahu moves the needle for him? I think it helps. Of course, we've seen how the relationship between these two leaders has flourished, but I don't think it's the sole determinant of the outcome, but it will certainly help Netanyahu, and he's used it throughout his electoral campaign. What do you think Netanyahu's biggest challenge is going to be? I think his greatest challenge is, even though he's achieved extraordinary military success against Lebanon, the Islamic Republic of Iran and elsewhere, you still have question marks around October the 7th, how that, behind that intelligence security failure, and that's something that Gadi Eizenkot and Netanyahu's opponents have also been trying to bring out. And I think that's... one of his greatest issues. Interesting. And we'll see. I think Trey said it'd be upwards of a week that we might find out. I mean, you never know. At least it could be longer. I do want to get your thoughts on this. New concerns over a possible return to the war in the Middle East as Iran hosts Saudi Arabia and other regional powers. I want to read this. This is the Iranian government laying out a message following the regional gathering, writing on X, quote, Islamic nations must uphold brotherhood and act as a single force against shared threats. What's your reaction to that? Well, it's interesting. That's referring to the Mecca Defence Alliance with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey in Tehran, urging the Islamic Republic to reduce tensions. The Islamic Republic is not a part of that defence pact, and I think it's because the Islamic Republic is the key instigator of so much instability and chaos in the region. And I think the main, the best way to prevent tensions in the region from happening is for the Islamic Republic to really focus more on improving the lives of its 93 million people who have been suffering for 47 years, as opposed to sowing conflict all over the region. How do you think... Nations like Saudi Arabia and Turkey should be responding to this. I mean, obviously, I know that they're meeting with the intentions of hearing them out. But what do you think they need to do and how they should respond? There should always be a place for diplomacy and conversation. It was why I spent so much time at the United Nations. I see value in negotiation. But it also comes to a point where you have to realize who you are. Speaking to and negotiating. And if they're not coming to the table in good faith, you have to explore other options as well. With Saudi Arabia, they just recently, you know, they saw one of their main airports get struck by Houthis who are backed by the Islamic Republic. And I think the Saudis are very smart and adept and they want to explore negotiations and diplomacy. But I don't think other options are off the table. Okay. Interesting take there. Okay, Jonathan, thank you so much for your time. We appreciate it. Okay, Todd, today millions of Israelis will vote in their first election since the deadly October 7th attacks by Hamas. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains on the ballot to fight for another term, and he's sending a stark warning to enemies as voters prepare to hit the polls. The Israeli military is prepared both defensively and offensively. We have intelligence indications that our enemies, Iran and its proxies, may try to challenge us with attacks aimed at disrupting the elections. And I warn them, don't test us. Let's bring in Israeli ambassador to the U.N., Danny Dehaan. Danny, thanks for coming on and talking to us this morning. You know, about 25 minutes ago, Trey Inks was reporting live in Tel Aviv, and he said that there's already been 1.2 million Israelis vote, and that's by 10 a.m. local time. So what does this signify to you? Good morning, Ashley. What we are seeing is amazing. It's the highest turnover in the history of Israel. The Israelis are voting today. They are not staying at home. 7.3 million eligible voters. And as you mentioned, so far we see that the turnout is more than expected. I think what we have seen in the last three years is the war, the hardship. People want to make sure that they change their future and that they are actually affecting and we are proud. We are proud of our democracy, you know, the strongest democracy in the Middle East and one of the strongest democracies in the world. Danny, I want your thoughts on this because it's supposed to be the highest turnout for Arab voters in this election. Do you think this affects the election at all? Well, I think it's not only the Arab sectors. All sectors are actually moving and mobilizing and voting. And I think it shows that, you know, in Israel, there is no discrimination between Muslims, Christians and Jews. You know, once you see high turnout, everyone is participating. And I think we can be, again, proud of the fact that we have such a strong process. And we are looking forward to see the results within a few hours. But, you know, it will not be decided tonight, because in Israel, the process only begins after the election. You have to form a government, so it will take longer. It's not like in the U.S. when you have results and you know who the president will be. In Israel, you have to form a coalition. It will take some time. Sometimes it takes even weeks to put a coalition together. And then how much of an impact will the young Israeli vote make in this election? So, more than half a million of voters are young voters that will vote for the first time and they are more involved than in the past and, you know, in Israel you cannot have absentee ballots. If you are abroad, if you are traveling or you are in relocation, you cannot vote. You have to fly to Israel and we have seen that tens of thousands of people paid a lot of money to fly to Israel in order to participate in those crucial elections. And then I want your thoughts on former IDF military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Do you think he has a real clear chance of winning in this? Well, you know, I'm not in a position today to get involved politically. But I think the Israelis, we look at the challenges ahead of us. You know, we still have to deal with Iran, with Hezbollah, with Hamas. It's a very, very sensitive situation. And then we have to decide who is the most experienced, the better fit to actually deal with those challenges. And then quickly, before I let you go, I have to know your thoughts on President Trump endorsing Netanyahu. Does that move the needle for Netanyahu? Well, they are very good friends, you know, they work together for so many years. And President Trump appreciates Prime Minister Netanyahu. And I think it shows the strength of the bond between the American people and the Israelis. We work together, we fight together, and we have the same enemies. You look at what's happening today still in Iran. They are talking about the destruction of the U.S. and Israel. That's why, regardless of the result of the elections, we will be together in the future. In the fight against Iran. Okay, Danny Danone, thank you so much for your time. We really appreciate it. Thank you very much. So right now, Israeli voters are hitting the polls in the first national election since the 2023 October 7 attacks in the start of the Iran war. Just moments ago, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cast his ballot as he fights for his political survival. Chief Foreign Correspondent Trey Yingst joins us live from Tel Aviv. Good morning, Trey. Yeah. Hey, Lawrence. Good morning. It's election day here in Israel and voters are headed to the ballot boxes. Polls indicate a tight race between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger, former IDF General Gadi Eisenkot. We do know neither candidate will be able to reach a majority of votes in the 120 seat Israeli Knesset, Israel's version of a parliament. And once they ultimately will get tasked with forming a coalition government, that nod will come. From the official results that will be delivered by Israeli President Isaac Herzog, he'll consult with each party leader, who will then recommend who should lead the next government. Now, Prime Minister Netanyahu received an endorsement from President Trump, who posted a true social referencing the war against Iran, saying there can no longer be the chant heard around the world of death to America, death to Israel, and there won't be. The president goes on to say, vote for Bibi Netanyahu for prime minister. We have to finish the job that we started. I saw the sign showing Trump's support for Bibi. There's nothing to talk about when it comes to the power and all these things and the friendships between them. And of course one compliments the other. It's a cover check as they say. It's not something that is just up in the air. Two key issues to remember in this race. First, tens of thousands of Israelis have flown in from abroad to participate. These individuals aren't polled and are expected to vote largely against Netanyahu. Second, whoever wins will likely need support from the two Arab parties that are expected to account for around 14 seats. The turnout among Arabs is likely to be the highest in history. Since this existing government was formed, we don't feel we have received our rights. We haven't received what we're supposed to receive in this country. So, since the current government was formed, until this very minute, we have been waiting for the elections so that we can vote and influence. There are 12,000 polling locations, 7.3 million eligible voters, and the Election Commission says as of about two hours ago, 1.2 million Israelis have already voted, a record since 1981. We know the exit polls are expected to come out here around 4 p.m. Eastern time. Brian. Right now, voters flooding the polls in Israel with turnout reaching its highest level in decades there for the country's first national election since the October 7th terror attack. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fighting to stay in power with President Trump backing him to finish the job against Iran. Let's bring in Michael Oren now, former Israeli ambassador to the U.S. Ambassador, welcome to you and glad to have you here. First, tell us about what you're seeing so far as far as voter turnout as the polls are still open there. Good to be with you, Sandra. It's quite a day in the state of Israel. We're talking about probably the highest percentage of voters in the history of this country, including tens and tens of thousands of Israelis who paid thousands of dollars to get on airplanes and come back to vote, including people in my own family. That's how much people care about this election. They really, truly view this election as fateful for the state of Israel. It determines the nature of the state going forward, the government and the state. We'll be in the character of the present government, which is actually Israel's most right-wing government, in which ultra-Orthodox Jews have an exemption from military service. A vast majority of Israelis are against that exemption, but also a government which is very hard-line on security issues, and security is always the paramount issue in Israeli elections, running against Prime Minister Netanyahu and his government are a wide field of opponents Who, by the way, are on the left and the right, but all agree. all agree on it's time for change in this country. It's time for the ultra-Orthodox to serve in the Army. It's time for the government to investigate through an independent commission the failures of October 7th. Ambassador, President Trump put out his endorsement for Bibi Netanyahu again yesterday, saying everyone is aware, including the enemy, Bibi and I have had a great relationship in winning together. When you go to the polls, please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding warrior prime minister. Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for prime minister. We have to finish the job that we started. To that point, Ambassador, how important is it for Netanyahu to be in power to finish the job against Iran? Well, the brute fact of it is, and it's not as important as it was, the way the last war ended, epic fury ended with a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran that basically cut out Israel, left a very poor impression here. And the president's support among Israelis has gone down because of that. And, you know, perforce, that's why President Trump's endorsement has not really contributed materially to Netanyahu's position. Having said all that, Netanyahu has a secure base that doesn't wake up in the morning and sort of wonder whether I should vote for Netanyahu or one of the people opposing him. Thank I'll just quote an eminent source. My cab driver the other day said to me, I'm having trouble. Who I should vote for? Should I vote for Bibi or should I vote for Netanyahu? That's the type of base he has. I want to finish off by playing some sound from the New York governor, Kathy Hochul, here at home. When asked about her stance on Israel's election, she said this. you. How much easier would your job get if Netanyahu loses? A lot easier. I actually caution the government there in private conversations that not to overreach. Like, the world is with you when it comes to the brutal assault by a terrorist organization known as Hamas on innocent Israeli people. Thank you. Thank you. But an overreach could change that dynamic, and that's what's happened. Ambassador, how do you respond to that? I would like to see how she felt, if one of the members of Israeli's leadership, a minister in our government, would just say that the governor of New York doesn't serve Israel's interests, makes our job a lot harder, wish we had a different governor there. It cuts two ways, so I think it's highly inappropriate and unfortunate. And the fact of the matter is, Senator, that all the issues in this election are domestic. And whoever is prime minister next, whether it's Netanyahu or any of the people opposing him, Gantz, Yair Lapid, Naftali Bennett, they're not going to change Israel's security policies. No one is going to pull a single soldier out of Gaza until Hamas disarms and Hamas is not going to disarm. No one's going to pull an Israeli soldier out of Lebanon until Hezbollah disarms and is not going to disarm. And no Israeli prime minister is going to create a Palestinian state next door to us, what they call the West Bank, that will turn into a terrorist state the next day and threaten us existentially. Thank you for being here today, Ambassador. Good to be with you always. Thank you. Let's bring in Senior Correspondent Benjamin Hall. Ben, always good to see you. And Jonathan was just describing there at the end, it's not a direct election for a leader of Israel. It's a party election, and then they need to form a coalition in order to gain power. Your thoughts as the counting is about to end, or the voting, I should say, is about to end in Israel moments away. Well, Martha, great to see you too. And look, there's no doubt this is an incredible election that will define the future of Israel. You know, Benjamin Netanyahu has been in power as a prime minister for almost 19 years. And the direction the country will go in, in some ways, will be very different. But in other ways, it will not be that different. The fact is that all the opposition parties have called themselves change because they want to get rid of Benjamin Netanyahu. They think the country needs a different direction. But at the same time, they're all sort of pretty strong in the security element. They're not going to hold back in Hamas, against Hamas, against Hezbollah, or against Iran. And so a lot of this is about domestic policy rather than what's going to happen in the region. But I do think that we're going to see weeks, if not longer, until the election is finally figured out. You know, you need 61 seats in the Israeli parliament to get a majority. There are 120 seats altogether. And it looks as if the two parties, Benjamin Netanyahu and Eisenkot's group, are going to have around mid-50s each. And what we have to see then is something Benjamin Netanyahu is an expert at. His whole career is going out to different groups and seeing who will come onto his side. Now, in the past and recently, he's been working with the far right, Ben-Gavir, Smotrich, as well as the ultra-Orthodox. And that's what the opposition is saying has created divisions in the country. So it's going to be interesting to see whether he can get enough votes from them or whether he's going to have to reach out and make deals with some of the centrist parties. And as Jonathan was saying, where the opposition parties may go, To the Arab parties. Now, that is where this might be a pivotal election. If they do that, the direction of Israel working alongside the Arab parties could be critical. But then again, at the same time, all those three main contenders, Eisenkot, Liberman and Bennett, they have said that they're not going to have a Palestinian state in any way. So it looks like they will make short-term deals just to get rid of Benjamin Netanyahu. Now, at the same time, Benjamin Netanyahu is saying. We are in the middle of a conflict right now against Iran. He's been showing videos recently of Iran using atomic weapon against Israel. And he is saying, if you want to change the government in the middle of this existential threat, when we are at a conflict with Iran, it's the worst time to do it. So you've got two parties, both sort of on similar grounds when it comes to the security structure, both very differently when it comes to the domestic issues. And I do think that President Trump's support of Benjamin Netanyahu helps an awful lot because Israelis know how important American backing is, particularly in conflict. And they might fear that without Benjamin Netanyahu in there, President Trump might not support them as much going forward. So a lot to play for right here. But we've seen many, many times how Israeli politics work. If you look back to 1919, they had five elections in three years because they couldn't reach that point. And actually, Benjamin Netanyahu wouldn't mind a government not being formed because it would buy him six more months for another election. So that would work for Netanyahu as well as a win. It's so interesting, Ben, and you make a great point because, you know, one might assume when you look at U.S. politics that there was a faction in Israel that wants to back away from this war. But all three of the top candidates are really in lockstep when it comes to Israeli national security and, you know, ending the Iranian dominance in the region and the proxies. They all agree on that. So it's a question really of who they want to lead the party. But it is interesting, given the U.S. push against Netanyahu. The Wall Street Journal has a piece. The push to oust Netanyahu draws thousands of Israeli expats home to vote against him. Ben, your thoughts on that? Yeah, many of them have spent thousands and thousands of dollars flying home to vote because it matters so much to people abroad. Many of them are also thinking those who do not support Benjamin Netanyahu think that he may actually have. hurt Israel's standing around the world to a certain degree, and they think that that needs to be built back up. And yes, you're right to say that they all support what's happening in Gaza and in Lebanon, and they're not going to stop fighting Hamas or Hezbollah, because Eisenkot, you know, is head of the IDF. As Jonathan said, his son and nephew were killed there. But they do differ slightly when it comes to Iran. Benjamin Netanyahu over the last few days has been saying there needs to be regime change, and he wants a far greater involvement, whereas Eisenkot has been saying, We want a bit more diplomacy, economic sanctions. sanctions, some limited military strikes and work with our allies. So not quite as tough as Netanyahu, but certainly happy to continue to stop the threat. So interesting, Ben. And we hear President Trump is suggesting that he may also want to move forward with Netanyahu to finish the job after the election. We certainly have an awesome assembly of military power that is in the region if that decision is made in the affirmative. Ben Hall, thank you very much. Breaking tonight, we're getting new information from exit polling for Israel's parliamentary elections. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to hold off a challenge from the country's former army chief. Here's what we're being told. Netanyahu's party will win 50 seats. Opponents will have 52 or 53. Arab parties will get 17 or 18. But what does that mean about a coalition government? Chief Correspondent Jonathan Hunt is in Tel Aviv tonight live to tell us perhaps what it could mean. Good evening, Jonathan. Yeah, good evening, Brett. And what those exit poll figures mean is that while there is no clear winner tonight in Israel's most consequential election in decades, we may be a major step closer to the end of the Netanyahu era if, and it's admittedly a big if, the opposition parties can now agree on a workable governing coalition. Since I cannot say explicitly, I will say, vote the correct way. This is what we do for the sake of the State of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu is in the fight of his political life, blamed by his opponents for security failures that allowed the devastating Hamas attack of October 7, 2023 to happen, criticized for refusing to accept responsibility for those failures, and accused of destroying Israel's international reputation through the manner in which he has prosecuted the war in Gaza. These are critical elections. Victory is not in our bag. We are facing the most critical day, perhaps since the founding of the state. No. Netanyahu's chief opponent in this election is former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, whose son was killed fighting in Gaza after October 7th. His Yeshar party will be the biggest of the varied anti-Netanyahu groups in the 120-member Knesset. But with Israel's proportional representation system, he would still need to build a coalition to govern, which could mean including the Arab parties, something that would be anathema to Israel's right wing. And in an extraordinary reshaping of the Israeli political landscape, the two Arab parties have won a record number of seats. That does make them kingmakers in whatever comes next. So that does not look good for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But if he's proved anything over the last 30 years, Brett, it's that he's a fighter and a survivor. He may challenge the vote count, particularly in those Arab communities. He may try to insist on a national unity government in which he would remain prime minister. This is far from over. Brett. All up in the air. Jonathan Hunt in Tel Aviv. Jonathan, thanks. Be sure to like and subscribe for all the Fox News latest on YouTube and catch full shows streaming now on Fox One.