Israel’s two main haredi (ultra-Orthodox) parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ), were projected to win six to eight and six seats, respectively, according to exit polls published by Channels 11, 12, and 13 on Tuesday night.
The projections would give the two parties a combined 12 – 14 seats in the 120-member Knesset.
The results could have significant implications for coalition negotiations and the next government’s ability to secure a parliamentary majority. However, exit polls are preliminary projections, and the final distribution of seats will depend on the official vote count and the allocation of Knesset seats.
Both Shas and UTJ are part of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc, and their combined seat total could prove crucial in determining whether he can secure the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority.
This is a developing story.
