Channel 12 news exit poll shows narrow majority for Netanyahu’s bloc

Channel 12’s exit poll projects that former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be able to build a narrow coalition majority with his Likud and allied parties.

It puts the Netanyahu-led right-wing / ultra-Orthodox bloc — Likud, Religious Zionism, Shas and United Torah Judaism — on 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset. Parties in the outgoing coalition led by Prime Minister Yair Lapid — Yesh Atid, National Unity, Labor, Meretz, Yisrael Beytenu and Ra’am — projected to win 55 seats. (Hadash-Ta’al is not affiliated with either bloc.)

The parties score as follows in the Channel 12 poll, which will be adjusted over the coming hours as actual votes are counted: Likud, 30 seats; Yesh Atid, 24; Religious Zionism, 14; National Unity, 11; Shas, 10; United Torah Judaism, 7; Labor, 6; Meretz, 5; Ra’am, 5; Yisrael Beytenu 4, and Hadash-Ta’al, 4.