TEL AVIV, Israel — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political bloc gained ground Wednesday morning as Israel counted votes from its first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, but remained short of the majority needed to form a government, leaving the country facing another potential political deadlock.

With approximately 70% of votes counted, Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc stood at 54 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, compared with 47 for the main opposition and 19 for Arab parties, according to partial election results reported by Israeli media. Netanyahu's Likud led with 27 seats, while former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party held 20.

As both Netanyahu and Eisenkot claimed victory Tuesday night, Israelis told Fox News Digital that although they had expected a tight race, the shifting numbers and uncertainty over who could form a government had left many confused about what comes next.

ISRAEL HEADS INTO DEEPLY DIVIDED ELECTION AS OCT. 7 RECKONING LOOMS: WHAT TO KNOW

Despite Netanyahu's lead, the parties outside his governing bloc collectively held 66 seats, a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, creating a potential path for the opposition to challenge his leadership if it can secure sufficient cooperation from Arab lawmakers.

The results marked a shift from Tuesday night's initial exit polls, which prompted celebrations at Eisenkot's campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv. Eisenkot called on Netanyahu to accept the results and step aside, while Netanyahu declared later in the night from his headquarters in Jerusalem that Likud had emerged as the country's largest party and urged the formation of a strong right-wing government.

The election has now shifted from the ballot box to a potentially complicated battle over coalition-building.

President Donald Trump took credit Wednesday morning for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's stronger-than-expected election performance, suggesting his endorsement helped shift the momentum of the race.

NETANYAHU FIGHTS FOR POLITICAL FUTURE AS ISRAEL HEADS TO POLLS WITH IRAN THREAT LOOMING

In a post on Truth Social, Trump shared a statement from Irving C. Schwartz, who wrote, "When President Trump endorsed Bibi Netanyahu, the whole tide turned, and now, rather than a decisive defeat for a Great Prime Minister, it looks like a big come-from-behind stalemate, or even a WIN for Netanyahu."

Later, speaking to reporters near Air Force One, Trump said, "I heard the poll numbers were wrong ... the exit polls; I heard he [Netanyahu] did very well. It was pretty close, but very well. When the endorsement went out, it helped him a lot."

"It's a little bit early, but I'm hearing in Israel, top people say, 'Wow! He did a lot better than people thought.' It's looking like maybe a stalemate or a win," Trump added.

JD VANCE DECLINES TO ENDORSE NETANYAHU DESPITE TRUMP'S STRONG BACKING

Arab parties could hold the key

The growing influence of Arab parties has emerged as one of the most consequential factors in determining Israel's next government.

According to the partial results, the Joint List held 13 seats and Ra'am, led by Mansour Abbas, held six, giving Arab parties a combined 19 seats.

Abbas signaled openness to political negotiations, saying figures from both sides of Israel's political divide had approached him.

"Everyone is talking to us, not just the change bloc," Abbas told Israel's Channel 12.

Democrats leader Yair Golan went further, openly calling for the formation of a new government in cooperation with Arab parties. "Netanyahu lost. I know how to count to 120–65 is greater than 55. That's how Israeli democracy works. Period," Golan wrote on X. Golan also rejected Netanyahu's distinction between Jewish and Arab political support, arguing that every Israeli citizen's vote should carry equal weight. "The vote of an Israeli citizen in Tira is worth exactly the same as the vote of an Israeli citizen in Givat Shmuel," he wrote.

Golan's figures reflected an earlier stage of the count, but his argument highlighted an emerging disagreement within the opposition over whether to include Arab parties in the next government.

Eisenkot has previously expressed opposition to including Ra'am in his coalition, while Netanyahu has warned against any government dependent on Arab parties.

BENJAMIN NETANYAHU'S LEGACY AND POLITICAL FUTURE ON THE LINE IN ISRAEL'S OCT 27 ELECTION

Three possible paths to forming a government

Netanyahu could attempt to expand his current coalition by winning support from at least seven lawmakers outside his right-wing and religious bloc, which would bring him to the 61 seats needed for a conventional parliamentary majority.

Alternatively, Eisenkot could seek enough parliamentary recommendations, potentially including those of Arab parties, to persuade President Isaac Herzog to give him the first opportunity to form a government.

Those recommendations would not necessarily require Arab parties to join a future coalition. However, Eisenkot would still need enough parliamentary support to secure a confidence vote.

A third possibility is another deadlock, with neither leader able to form a government and Israel potentially facing another election.

The final outcome remains uncertain as vote counting continues, including ballots cast by soldiers and other voters using special voting procedures.

Official results are scheduled for Nov. 4, after which Herzog will consult with parliamentary factions and select a lawmaker to attempt to form the next government.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That candidate will initially have 28 days to negotiate coalition agreements, with the possibility of a 14-day extension. 

Until a new government takes office, Netanyahu will remain prime minister.

TEL AVIV, Israel — Updated Israeli exit polls early Wednesday showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gaining ground against his political rivals but still falling short of a parliamentary majority, leaving the country facing a possible political deadlock despite a combined majority of seats projected for parties outside his governing bloc.

An updated Channel 12 exit poll at 3:30 a.m. (Israel time) projected 53 seats for Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc, compared with 49 for the main opposition led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot and another 19 for Arab parties. Together, the opposition and Arab factions would hold 68 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, although they remain divided over forming a government together.

Netanyahu struck a defiant tone in his first election-night speech at Likud headquarters in Jerusalem, declaring that his party had emerged as the largest in Israel and calling for the formation of a strong right-wing government.

FORMER ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF GADI EISENKOT EMERGES AS NETANYAHU’S LEADING ELECTION CHALLENGER

"We are still waiting for the actual results, which we will receive over the next day or two," Netanyahu told supporters. "Two things have become clear. The first is unequivocal: Likud is the largest party in Israel."

"We must establish a strong national right-wing government," he added, warning against a government dependent on Arab parties, which he accused of opposing Israel's existence.

His remarks came hours after Eisenkot took the stage at his campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv, where supporters celebrated earlier projections showing the opposition ahead. Eisenkot called on Netanyahu to accept the results and step aside, but the updated numbers underscored how uncertain the race remains.
Netanyahu also said Israel faced a "once-in-a-lifetime historic opportunity" with Trump to eliminate the existential threat from Iran.

The competing speeches highlighted the central question emerging from the election: Who will be given the first opportunity to form a government?
If Eisenkot can secure recommendations from at least 61 lawmakers, potentially including Arab parties, he could receive the first mandate despite Netanyahu's Likud emerging as the largest individual party. But that would not guarantee he could assemble a governing coalition.
For Netanyahu, the election remains a waiting game. Even without a majority, he could still be tasked with forming a government — or get another opportunity if Eisenkot's efforts fail — leaving Israel facing weeks of political negotiations.

Israelis turned out in exceptionally high numbers Tuesday for the country’s first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas massacre, with initial exit polls showing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud emerging as the largest party but his governing coalition falling short of a parliamentary majority, potentially opening the door to a change in leadership.
 

FORMER ISRAELI PM EMERGES AS WILD CARD IN HIGH-STAKES ELECTION WITH MIDDLE EAST'S FUTURE AT STAKE

Netanyahu fights for political future as Israel heads to polls with Iran threat looming

The results are preliminary projections, not an official vote count, and could change as ballots are tallied in the coming days.

The election followed an extraordinary day at polling stations across Israel, with long lines and voter participation reaching levels not seen in decades.

Israeli voter turnout surged to a historic high, with 77.7% of eligible voters casting their ballots by the time the polls closed, according to Israel's Central Elections Committee. The figure marked the highest turnout recorded since 1999, underscoring the intensity of the country's national election.

The unusually high participation prompted election officials to streamline voting procedures and assure voters that anyone arriving at a polling station before the 10 p.m. deadline would be allowed to cast a ballot.

The vote was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership following three years of war and continuing questions about responsibility for the security failures that allowed Hamas terrorists to kill approximately 1,200 people and abduct 251 others on Oct. 7, 2023.

JD VANCE DECLINES TO ENDORSE NETANYAHU DESPITE TRUMP'S STRONG BACKING

Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, campaigned on his record of confronting Iran and its regional proxies, highlighting Israel's military achievements and his relationship with President Donald Trump. His opponents accused him of failing to accept responsibility for the October 7 security failures and opposed his government's approach to investigating the failures that preceded the massacre.

A last-minute battle for every vote

Throughout the final hours of the campaign, Netanyahu, Eisenkot, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other party leaders mounted an intensive effort to mobilize supporters and win over undecided voters.

Netanyahu's Likud party prepared hundreds of targeted campaign videos and social media messages, making digital outreach a central part of its last-minute election strategy.

Eisenkot's campaign pushed supporters to rally behind Yashar as the leading alternative to Likud, while Bennett traveled between cities and engaged voters directly and through WhatsApp conversations.

The key question now is which candidate can secure the support of at least 61 lawmakers when President Isaac Herzog consults with the newly elected parliamentary factions. If Eisenkot can obtain those recommendations, including from Arab parties, he would have a strong claim to receive the first opportunity to form a government, even though Netanyahu’s Likud is projected to remain the largest individual party. Crucially, Arab parties could recommend Eisenkot without formally joining his governing coalition. However, the final decision rests with Herzog, who is tasked with selecting the lawmaker he believes has the best chance of forming a government. Securing the first mandate would not guarantee Eisenkot could assemble a governing majority, leaving the possibility of another political deadlock.

NETANYAHU FIGHTS FOR POLITICAL FUTURE AS ISRAEL HEADS TO POLLS WITH IRAN THREAT LOOMING

The campaign's closing hours also featured personal appeals, phone calls to undecided voters and aggressive turnout operations across the political spectrum.

The final days were particularly important because a relatively small share of voters remained undecided about which party to support.

A Times of Israel poll published five days before the election found that 87% of respondents had already made their final choice, while 2.4% remained undecided between the pro and anti-Netanyahu political blocs.

Other surveys suggested a larger pool of undecided voters, although many were choosing between parties within the same political camp rather than switching sides.

That distinction could prove decisive in Israel's parliamentary system, where political parties need at least 3.25% of valid votes to enter the 120-seat Knesset.

Even a slight change in the vote share of smaller parties could shift several parliamentary seats and determine whether either camp has a realistic path to power.

TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO 'FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE

What happens next?

Despite the exit poll projections, the identity of Israel's next prime minister may remain uncertain for weeks.

Unlike in the United States, Israelis vote for political parties rather than directly electing their head of government.

The 120 seats in parliament are allocated proportionally, and parties must secure at least 3.25% of valid votes to win representation.

Once the final results are certified, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult with the newly elected political factions and select the lawmaker he believes has the strongest chance of forming a government.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

That candidate will have 28 days to negotiate a governing coalition, with the possibility of a 14-day extension.

Official results are scheduled to be published by Nov. 4. Until a new government takes office, Netanyahu's outgoing government will remain in power.

Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro fled Brazil for the United States on Tuesday, two days after losing the country's presidential runoff to leftist incumbent President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.

The U.S. Department of State will issue visas to Bolsonaro and his family and allow them to enter the U.S., a senior State Department official confirmed to Fox News Digital.

An ally of the far-right conservative senator confirmed his departure from the South American country to Reuters on Tuesday.

Bolsonaro's flight was reportedly headed to Florida, according to Brazilian outlet Metropoles, citing people close to his family.

BRAZIL’S RAPID ELECTION COUNT PUTS SPOTLIGHT ON VOTING SECURITY AHEAD OF US MIDTERMS

The 45-year-old lawmaker had been out of public view since Tuesday morning, the outlet reported.

His departure came as a deadline for him to surrender his regular and diplomatic passports expired at noon Tuesday. 

Brazilian newspaper Folha de São Paulo reported Bolsonaro was under investigation for alleged money laundering and other crimes. 

It remained unclear whether Bolsonaro had complied with the order, The Associated Press reported.

BRAZIL BECOMES NEXT TEST FOR LATIN AMERICA’S SURGING CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT

Bolsonaro was served with the order Monday, a day after Lula defeated him in Sunday's presidential runoff for an unprecedented fourth term.

With 100% of the vote counted, Lula won 51.8% of the vote, defeating Bolsonaro by nearly 4.4 million votes.

He has refused to concede the election and has called for the election results to be annulled, alleging fraud, according to The Associated Press.

Lula addressed supporters after winning re-election, expressing gratitude to the Brazilian people.

CONSERVATIVE WAVE HITS ROADBLOCK IN BRAZIL AS LULA HOLDS OFF BOLSONARO CHALLENGE

"No one is required to like the president-elect, but he must govern for everyone," Lula said.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Referring to his opponent, Lula said, "This was a defeat for denialism and lies."

Fox News Digital's David Unsworth and Michael Sinkewicz, as well as Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

TEL AVIV, ISRAEL — Campaign banners bearing the faces of Israel's political leaders cover buildings and roadsides, while in homes, coffee shops and family gatherings, the same question dominates conversations: Will Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remain in power?

With Israelis heading to the polls Tuesday, the country is bracing for a closely contested election that could end in another political deadlock. But this vote is unlike any other in Israel's recent history.

For many Israelis, the election has become a referendum on accountability for the failures that allowed Hamas terrorists to carry out the Oct. 7, 2023, massacre — the deadliest attack in Israel's history.

TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO 'FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE

Netanyahu, who has dominated Israeli politics for decades, has resisted calls to accept personal responsibility for the security failures and establish an independent state commission of inquiry. His government instead sought a politically appointed investigation, a proposal fiercely opposed by many bereaved families.

Yet Israel's divisions began long before Oct. 7.

In the months preceding the attacks, hundreds of thousands of Israelis took to the streets to protest Netanyahu's proposed judicial overhaul, which critics argued would undermine the country's democracy. The confrontation spilled into the military, where reservists threatened to suspend volunteer service, raising alarms about Israel's preparedness. Some critics have argued that the turmoil projected weakness to the country's enemies, although the extent to which it influenced Hamas's decision to attack remains disputed.

Three years after the massacre, those divisions have only deepened, transforming Tuesday's vote into something intensely personal. Political allegiances have strained friendships and divided families, with much of the national debate reduced to a single question: Are you for Netanyahu, widely known as "Bibi," or against him?

DANNY DANON: FROM OCT 7 TO FLIGHT 1073: THE RESILIENCE THAT KEEPS ISRAEL STANDING

For some families who lost loved ones on Oct. 7, the answer is painfully clear.

Shir Shai, whose brother Yaron Shai, an Israeli soldier, was killed battling Hamas terrorists that day, delivered a stark message to those considering another vote for Netanyahu.

"If you nevertheless decide to vote again for the man who brought disaster upon us and his accomplices, I have one personal request: Don't come here anymore," Shai said over her brother's grave in his memorial ceremony on October 7.

"You still have 20 days to be part of the process of putting things right. But if you choose to perpetuate the failure rather than honor the fallen, it would be better if you stayed home next year," she added.

NETANYAHU PRAISES TRUMP'S 'WICKED SENSE OF HUMOR,' DEFENDS IRONCLAD ALLIANCE AHEAD OF HISTORIC ISRAEL VOTE

Yet other bereaved families have reached the opposite conclusion, crediting Netanyahu with standing firm through years of war on multiple fronts and arguing that Israel's military and intelligence establishment bears the principal responsibility for failing to anticipate the Hamas assault.

The deeply polarized atmosphere has been intensified by an increasingly bitter campaign. Just two days before the election, Netanyahu shared an AI-generated image depicting a nuclear explosion over Tel Aviv, warning of the existential threat posed by Iran if the country elects a leader unable to confront Tehran.

Concerns now extend beyond the election results themselves. Israeli police are preparing for possible unrest after the polls close, while experts have warned about the potential for disputes over the legitimacy of the results — including an extreme scenario resembling the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

With the opposition united in its ambition to replace Netanyahu but divided over how to govern afterward, neither political bloc is assured of a parliamentary majority and the final outcome could take weeks to determine.

JD VANCE DECLINES TO ENDORSE NETANYAHU DESPITE TRUMP'S STRONG BACKING

When do polls open and close?

Israelis will vote Tuesday, Oct. 27, with most polling stations opening at 7 a.m. and closing at 10 p.m. local time.

Election Day is a national holiday in Israel, giving voters the opportunity to cast their ballots. Some smaller communities and special polling locations operate on different schedules.

Eligible voters must be Israeli citizens at least 18 years old and generally vote at their assigned polling station. Most Israelis living abroad cannot vote remotely, although exceptions apply to certain official representatives overseas.

How does Israel's election system work?

Israel has a parliamentary system in which voters select a political party rather than an individual candidate for prime minister.

The country's parliament, known as the Knesset, has 120 seats, distributed through a system of nationwide proportional representation.

Each party submits a ranked list of candidates, and the number of seats it receives depends on its share of the national vote.

To enter parliament, a party must win at least 3.25% of the valid votes. Parties falling below that threshold receive no seats, potentially changing the balance between rival political blocs.

IRAN IS TRYING TO ‘CREATE A ROT FROM WITHIN’ THROUGH ‘INFORMATION WARFARE,’ ANALYST WARNS

When will election results be announced?

Israel's major television networks are expected to release exit polls immediately after voting ends at 10 p.m. Tuesday (4 p.m. EST).

Those projections will provide the first indication of how many seats each party may win and whether Netanyahu or his rivals appear better positioned to assemble a coalition.

But exit polls are not official results, and even small differences in the final vote could determine whether parties cross the electoral threshold.

Actual vote counts will emerge as ballots are counted, with preliminary results developing after polls close and over the following days.

Israel's Central Elections Committee has scheduled the publication of official results for Wednesday, Nov. 4, eight days after the election.

Who are the main candidates?

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 77, leads the conservative right-wing Likud party and is seeking to extend his record tenure as Israel's longest-serving prime minister.

His main challenger is Gadi Eisenkot, 66, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces who leads the centrist Yashar party and has positioned himself as an alternative to Netanyahu's leadership.

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, 54, is also seeking a political comeback, running on a joint ticket with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid.

Other significant political figures include former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, Democrats leader Yair Golan and Netanyahu's right-wing populist allies Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.

Arab political parties, including Ra'am and the Joint List, could also play a crucial role in determining the final parliamentary balance.

How many seats does a party need to win?

The key number in Israeli politics is 61 — a majority of the 120-seat Knesset.

No single Israeli party has ever won enough seats to control parliament alone, meaning parties generally need to form coalitions with other political factions.

This means the party that wins the most seats does not automatically get to lead the government.

Instead, the decisive question is which political leader can secure enough parliamentary support to govern.

How is Israel's next prime minister chosen?

Once the official results are published, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult representatives of the newly elected parliamentary factions.

Within seven days, the president must assign a member of the Knesset the task of forming a government.

The president generally selects the politician considered most likely to assemble a governing coalition, who is not necessarily the leader of the largest party.

That candidate initially has 28 days to reach agreements with other parties, with the possibility of an extension of up to 14 additional days.

The proposed government must then win a confidence vote in the Knesset before taking office.

What happens if nobody can form a government?

If the first candidate fails, the president can ask another lawmaker to attempt to form a government, giving that person 28 days without an extension.

If that effort also fails, a majority of 61 lawmakers can request that another candidate be given 14 days to try.

If no government emerges, Israel could face another national election.

Coalition negotiations can take weeks or months. According to the Israel Democracy Institute, the process of forming an Israeli government has historically taken between 20 and 100 days.

Until a new government is sworn in, the outgoing government remains in office.

Why is this election particularly consequential?

Tuesday's vote is the first national election since the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attacks, which triggered the war in Gaza and raised profound questions about Israel's security leadership.

Beyond Netanyahu's political future, the next government will face decisions over Israel's national security, the future of Gaza, military conscription, relations with the United States and the country's regional diplomatic relationships.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

With pre-election polling showing no clear path to a parliamentary majority for either major political bloc, the contest could remain unresolved long after Tuesday's votes are counted.

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett is seeking a political comeback with an ambitious vision for the Middle East: expanding the Abraham Accords, building economic partnerships with Arab nations and rebuilding Israel's strained international relationships, particularly with the United States.

For Bennett, whose American parents moved to Israel from San Francisco, the U.S. connection is both personal and political. The 54-year-old former technology entrepreneur, a familiar face on American television, believes his business background could help him work with President Donald Trump to advance regional diplomacy.

"Naftali Bennett is the right leader to strengthen Israel’s global standing, including among the American people, thanks to his proven track record of working with world leaders and bringing people together, both as prime minister and as a successful businessman," Bennett’s campaign told Fox News Digital.

"We are confident that our great friend in the White House, President Trump, and Israel’s allies around the world will welcome the opportunity to work with Bennett and the new government he intends to form. Together, we will revive the Negev Forum and expand the Abraham Accords, strengthening regional security and stability. That is why so many leaders across the Middle East and beyond who share a vision of a more secure, prosperous and stable region are eager to see Bennett lead Israel’s next government."

TRUMP CALLS ON ARAB NATIONS TO SIGN ABRAHAM ACCORDS

"He was a businessman, not a career politician, same as me," Bennett told The Times of Israel in June, referring to Trump. "His worldview is, let's get stuff done. Let's look at results, not process. And that's precisely my view."

Bennett said he would aggressively pursue regional agreements through economic cooperation, seeking to build on the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords. But while his ambitions overlap with Trump's regional agenda, the president endorsed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for re-election on Oct. 18.

Bennett also faces an unusual political challenge at home. His joint Beyachad, or Together, party with former Prime Minister Yair Lapid is polling behind both Netanyahu's Likud and former military chief Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party.

A Channel 12 poll published Oct. 23 projected 23 Knesset seats for Eisenkot, 21 for Netanyahu and 15 for Bennett and Lapid.

Yet Bennett knows better than most Israeli politicians that leading the largest party is not necessary to become prime minister. In 2021, he took office despite his Yamina party winning just seven of the Knesset's 120 seats, demonstrating the power of coalition negotiations in Israel's parliamentary system.

FORMER ISRAELI ARMY CHIEF GADI EISENKOT EMERGES AS NETANYAHU’S LEADING ELECTION CHALLENGER

How a seven-seat leader became prime minister

Born in Haifa to American immigrants, Bennett served in Israel's elite Sayeret Matkal and Maglan military units before co-founding cybersecurity company Cyota, which was sold for $145 million in 2005.

He entered politics as Netanyahu's chief of staff, later led the Yesha Council representing West Bank settlements and served as economy, education and defense minister.

A religious Zionist and longtime opponent of Palestinian statehood, Bennett stunned Israel's political establishment in 2021 when he formed a coalition spanning right-wing, centrist, left-wing and Arab parties, ending Netanyahu's 12 consecutive years in power.

The coalition collapsed in 2022, leaving many former supporters accusing him of betraying his electoral promises.

WHO IS ITAMAR BEN-GVIR, THE ISRAELI FIREBRAND RISING WITH THE POPULIST RIGHT ACROSS THE GLOBE?

Einat Halevy Levin, a strategic advisor who has known Bennett for years, described a politician who has spent his time outside office preparing for a second opportunity.

"In 2021, he wasn't prepared. He hadn't built a governing party; he had built another election campaign," Halevy Levin told Fox News Digital.

She said she met Bennett at his home in November 2023, following the Oct. 7 Hamas attack, when he had decided to return to politics.

This time, according to Halevy Levin, Bennett spent years building a political organization, carefully screening candidates and developing the infrastructure needed to govern.

"I've known him since he was economy minister. He was always daring and full of creative ideas, but was more inclined to stick to his own views," she said. "He has undergone a transformation."

IS ISRAEL REALLY ISOLATED? POLLS AND DIPLOMACY POINT IN OPPOSITE DIRECTIONS

A new Middle East vision meets old divisions

Bennett's regional ambitions reflect an approach to diplomacy shaped by his business experience, according to Halevy Levin.

She recalled attending a meeting with a senior official from a neighboring country who appeared astonished by Bennett's detailed knowledge of its economy and priorities.

"He wasn't looking at the country through a military lens," she said, describing Bennett's focus on identifying shared economic interests rather than approaching every regional relationship primarily as a security challenge.

In an interview with Israel's Channel 13 on Sunday, two days before the election, Bennett pointed to his meetings as prime minister with Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi, Jordan's King Abdullah II and UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed as examples of the diplomacy he hopes to revive.

He argued that Israel needs to present a new vision of a Middle Eastern renaissance and identified extremist settler violence in the West Bank as a major source of damage to its international standing.

"We need to eliminate Jewish terrorism in Judea and Samaria, and I say this precisely as a supporter of the settlement movement," Bennett said. "They do not represent the overwhelming majority of settlers, but right now this is the problem causing us the greatest damage internationally."

Bennett said he would direct Israel's senior police, military and intelligence officials to produce a plan within three days to crack down on extremist violence.

His foreign policy, however, remains firmly on the Israeli right.

On Iran, Bennett has promoted his "Octopus Doctrine," advocating direct action against Tehran rather than focusing exclusively on Iranian-backed groups.

"If Hezbollah fires at us, we strike Iran," he declared at an Aug. 19 policy conference.

On Gaza, Bennett opposes Palestinian statehood and supports maintaining Israeli security control until Hamas is disarmed. He has also proposed excluding Qatar and Turkey from Gaza's future arrangements while involving Egypt.

TRUMP SAYS NETANYAHU NEEDS TO BE RE-ELECTED, OR ELSE US WILL HAVE TO 'FINISH THE JOB’ AGAINST IRAN ALONE

Those positions raise questions about how significantly his government would depart from Netanyahu's policies.

Danny Citrinowicz, a senior researcher at Israel's Institute for National Security Studies and former head of the Iran branch in Israeli military intelligence, argued that restoring Israel's diplomatic standing requires more than a change in leadership.

"If Bennett thinks he can support annexing E1 (an area east of Jerusalem where planned Israeli settlement construction could further fragment the West Bank), oppose a Palestinian state, continue the occupation of Gaza and simultaneously meet with Sisi and Abdullah and attract investment to Israel, he simply doesn't understand the depth of the international crisis," Citrinowicz said.

Citrinowicz argued that without a fundamental change in Israeli policy toward the Palestinians, replacing Netanyahu would not be sufficient to restore the country's international standing.

His warning comes amid changing American public attitudes toward Israel. A February 2026 Gallup survey found 36% of Americans sympathized more with Israelis, compared with 41% who sympathized more with Palestinians, a statistically insignificant five-point difference but a significant shift from the long-standing pro-Israel advantage.

A comeback built on lessons from 2021

Beyond foreign policy, Bennett is promising a sweeping domestic overhaul.

In an Oct. 25 manifesto, he pledged to redirect 30 billion shekels in government benefits toward families who work and serve in the military, reduce food prices by 30%, establish a state commission of inquiry into Oct. 7 and introduce an eight-year term limit for prime ministers.

His alliance with Lapid gives him an established political organization, but he faces competition from Eisenkot and continuing attacks from Netanyahu, who has warned that a future opposition coalition could depend on left-wing and Arab parties.

With Israel's fragmented parliamentary system requiring at least 61 seats to govern, coalition negotiations could prove as consequential as the election results themselves.

Bennett has already demonstrated that political reality once.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Now, four years after his first government collapsed, he is seeking to convince Israelis that the unconventional politician who became prime minister with seven seats has returned better prepared — and with a vision that could reshape Israel's place in the Middle East.

Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado made returned to her home country on Sunday after nearly a year abroad, re-entering a political landscape transformed by the U.S. ouster of Nicolás Maduro.

"I'm here. With you all," Machado wrote on social media, announcing her return for the first time since December. Her homecoming comes as Venezuela remains under the leadership of acting President Delcy Rodríguez, a longtime Maduro ally backed by the Trump administration, with no presidential election scheduled.

President Donald Trump, asked about Machado's return by reporters in Port Huron, Michigan, said he was unaware of the development but expressed hope for her safety.

TRUMP TOUTS ACCESS TO 65 BILLION BARRELS OF VENEZUELAN OIL IN DEAL HE SAYS WILL SLASH GAS PRICES

"I don't know anything about it, but I think she's a very nice woman," Trump said. "She gave me her Nobel Prize. So how can I say anything else? And I hope she's safe. She's a very nice woman. But we're doing really well in Venezuela."

Machado, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2025 for her peaceful opposition to Maduro's government, did not disclose her exact location or provide details about how she returned.

Fellow opposition leader Edmundo González, who ran for president in 2024 after Machado was barred from seeking office, confirmed her arrival on social media and said he would join her "very soon."

"Today is a very important day for Venezuelans. Our sovereign voice returns with her to lead and guide this process!" González wrote on X. "You know it, this is until the end."

Machado's return comes nearly 10 months after U.S. forces captured Maduro in January, removing the longtime leader from power.

Rodríguez, Maduro's former vice president, has remained in power with the Trump administration's support, despite exceeding the period she was initially authorized to serve as acting president.

Trump has repeatedly praised his administration's relationship with Rodríguez, highlighting agreements involving Venezuelan oil production and other business ventures with American companies.

NICOLAS MADURO AND WIFE CILIA FLORES FACE NEW CHARGES OF CONSPIRACY TO TORTURE AMERICANS

In September, Trump said it was too soon to consider holding democratic elections in Venezuela, with U.S. officials prioritizing economic stabilization. Machado and her allies, meanwhile, have pushed for an election date, arguing that democratic governance is essential to the country's long-term stability.

Her return could complicate relations between the Venezuelan opposition, the interim government and Washington. Reuters reported in June that U.S. officials had asked Machado to delay her return.

Machado spent much of 2025 in hiding after being briefly detained following an opposition protest that January. She later secretly left Venezuela and resurfaced in Norway in December to receive the Nobel Peace Prize.

Meanwhile, a faction of the Venezuelan opposition and Rodríguez's government held another round of talks this month focused on reforms to the country's Supreme Court and electoral authorities ahead of eventual elections, Reuters reported.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP

Machado's political movement has not participated in those negotiations.

The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.