Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White leader Benny Gantz both claimed victory in Tuesday's election after exit polls predicted a parliamentary advantage for rightist parties and their allies, but a big showing for Gantz's bloc of center-left parties.
"We won! The Israeli public has had its say!" said Gantz tweeted after two out of three exit polls saw Blue and White taking more seats than Netanyahu's Likud. A third exit poll predicted the two parties would be tied.
However, two of the polls predicted that the Right was more likely to form a governing coalition that would secure Netanyahu a fifth term.
The third exit poll predicted this bloc would be tied with the Center-Left, but only if Gantz were to get tacit support from the Arab parties, although this would undermine Gantz's campaign pledge not to partner with anti-Zionist parties.
"The right-wing bloc led by Likud has won a clear victory," Netanyahu said in a statement. "I will begin forming a right-wing government with our natural partners this very night."
Gantz, who spoke to his supporters after the election results came in, vowed to be "a prime minister for everyone, who will know how to speak with everyone and I will create a government that works."
