Israeli exit polls show tight race but only if Arabs are counted with left bloc

Exit Polls show center-left and right-wing blocs close, but in reality the right-wing is far outperforming.

By World Israel News Staff

Israeli election day exit polls started coming in on Tuesday evening

Channel 12
Center-Left bloc: 55
Israel Beiteinu party: 8
Right-wing bloc: 57

Channel 13
Center-Left bloc: 58
Israel Beiteinu party: 8
Right-wing bloc: 54

Kan, Israel’s public broadcaster
Center-Left bloc: 54
Israel Beiteinu party: 10
Right-wing bloc: 56

At a press conference in Jerusalem several election observers analyzed the results.

Simcha Rothman, of Meshilut, an organization working to strengthen Israel’s democratic institutions, said, “The most important thing is the blocs. It was a big issue in the election propaganda – which party would be the biggest. But the magic number is 61.”

Eugene Kontorovich of the Kohelet Forum said that the results are misleading as the center-left bloc results include the Arab Joint List. “No Israeli would consider the Arab parties as part of the Center-Left,” he said.

“No poll shows the opposition getting a coalition. The interesting things won’t happen today but over the next month as they work to form a coalition,” Kontorovich said.

Asked about the possibility that Israel could head back to elections, Kontorovich said, “You can have as many elections as it takes.”

“I personally don’t see it as a bad thing because every day that the Knesset isn’t passing laws it’s a good thing for the country,” he said.

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