Israelis vote in highest numbers in decades in pivotal national election

■ Steady

Israel votes in record turnout; exit polls show no clear winner

Israelis voted on Tuesday in their highest numbers in decades in the first national election since the October 7, 2023 attack, widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Exit polls indicated no clear winner, and official results are due on November 4. On election day Netanyahu accused Arab citizens of trying to steal the elections, which the New York Times describes as a racial appeal to voters.

• Exit polls after Tuesday's vote show no clear winner.
• Official results are due on November 4.
• Observers cite risks including AI-generated content and senior officials who have repeatedly suggested the results could be rigged.
• A former general is seen as the main center-right challenger to Netanyahu.