820Gto(趣味と日常)

Israeli opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot urged Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to “accept the people’s vote of no confidence” and leave political life, saying Israelis voted for change. Speaking at his Yashar party’s headquarters after polls closed, he cautioned that exit polls are not final results but said “tonight Netanyahu faces a larger and stronger Zionist, responsible majority.” He said holding another election “would be a mistake” given the high turnout. Eisenkot pledged to form a Zionist government committed to “universal military service” and “dismantling Hamas” that must “respect and see all parts of society.” By “Zionist government,” Eisenkot means a coalition of Jewish-led parties that excludes the Arab parties, which he has ruled out negotiating with or relying on, and the “Zionist majority” he cites counts only those parties’ seats. He called on the Israeli security establishment and government service officials to “serve the state and the interests of Israeli citizens alone,” and said, “the era of evasion, failure and lies is over.” Exit polls put Netanyahu’s bloc at about 50 seats and Eisenkot’s at 52, with neither near the 61 needed, and Likud the largest single party. Arab parties are projected to win a record 18 seats, but Eisenkot has ruled out forming a government that relies on them. Final results are still to come.