Partial Israel Results Put Netanyahu Bloc Ahead With 55 Seats

Partial election projections in Israel showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc leading with 55 seats as vote counting continued, while U.S. President Donald Trump said he believed his endorsement had helped Netanyahu’s performance. The projections did not establish whether the endorsement influenced voters, and neither major bloc had reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset. With 55.4% of votes counted as of 7:43 a.m. local time, Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc was projected to win 55 seats. The opposition alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar Party was projected to receive 49. The Joint List and Raam, two Arab coalitions, were projected to win 12 and four seats, respectively, for a combined 16. The figures were partial and could change as counting proceeded. Votes cast in double envelopes, including ballots from soldiers, were due to be counted later. The final seat distribution had not been established in the reported projections. Trump said he thought his endorsement had helped Netanyahu, referring to exit polls in comments to reporters after attending a rally in Texas. He also shared on Truth Social a statement by Irving C. Schwartz...