On October 27, 2026, immediately following the conclusion of vote counting in the parliamentary elections, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed supporters at the Likud party's campaign headquarters in Jerusalem. In his speech, the head of government made several resonant statements: he hinted at a possible new round of military confrontation with Iran, criticized the exit polls published by Israeli media, and called for the formation of a "national right-wing government" that will not rely on parties led by Arab politicians.

Likud is the largest party, but lacks a majority

According to Netanyahu, the final election results for the Knesset will be known within a day or two after the voting. At the same time, the prime minister emphasized, it is already clear that Likud is the largest party in Israel. "The right-wing bloc has a decisive majority... We need to form a national right-wing government," he stated. According to updated vote-counting data, Netanyahu's party bloc is at least level with the opposition or may hold a two-seat lead. However, neither bloc holds the 61 seats in the Knesset required to guarantee a constitutional majority to form a government. Voter turnout stood at 77.7%, the highest figure since 1999.

Criticism of exit polls and media

A separate part of the prime minister's speech was devoted to criticizing Israeli media. Netanyahu accused the media of publishing exit polls showing the opposition bloc outperforming the ruling bloc in order to "discourage supporters from voting." In his assessment, the forecasts proved inaccurate and failed to reflect Likud's true support among voters. Final counting data, he said, confirmed that the party came in first place.

Call for a "national right-wing government" without Arab parties

Netanyahu stated that the country should not rely on parties led by Arabs because, in his words, they "oppose our existence." The prime minister called the willingness of other political forces to cooperate with such parties a "disgrace." Thus, he effectively outlined a condition where coalition formation is possible only within the right-wing and religious spectrum of Israeli politics.

Hint at a new round of conflict with Iran

The most resonant element of the speech was the statement regarding a possible resumption of military operations against Iran. Netanyahu declared: "Israel and our friend President Trump have received a unique opportunity to eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all. We were able to defeat our enemies, and we will be able to do it in the future." The prime minister did not provide direct timelines or the format of potential actions, but the phrase "once and for all" was interpreted by observers as a signal of readiness for a new military phase.

Criminal prosecutions and political context

Concluding his speech, Netanyahu again criticized the criminal investigations directed against him. Since May 2020, the Israeli prime minister has faced charges of bribery, fraud, and breach of trust; he has consistently denied wrongdoing. The main question remaining open after the October 27 elections is whether Netanyahu will be able to retain power and form a stable coalition under conditions where no single bloc holds a constitutional majority in the Knesset.