The final results of Israel’s election will not be determined until Friday, when the ballots cast by military personnel are counted. However, the exit polls released last night at 8 p.m. London time point to a political deadlock that will make it extremely difficult to form a government, let alone a stable one. In any case, even the final results will not change the reality that Israel has never been more divided, fractured, and polarised.

Amid all this uncertainty, four conclusion are clear.

A long and exhausting period of political negotiations lies ahead. Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister

A long and exhausting period of political negotiations lies ahead. Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister

First, voter turnout reached 77.7 per cent, the highest since 1999. This reflects the political engagement and heightened awareness of voters, who regarded this election as the most important in the country’s history since its establishment in 1948.

Second, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his coalition have forfeited nearly 20 per cent of their strength, leaving them unlikely to form a new government. Nevertheless, according to the exit polls, Netanyahu has once again demonstrated........

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