Jerusalem [Israel], October 28 : Mounting a podium at Likud election headquarters as initial vote tallies began rolling in, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his party’s supremacy in the Israeli parliament, launching directly into a celebratory speech that wove military achievements, harsh attacks on political rivals, and an urgent appeal to form a nationalist government.
"Thank you very much, members of the Likud," Netanyahu began, thanking the activists and campaign workers who gathered after the polls closed. "Through courageous decisions, together with the public in Israel that stood firm, and thanks to our heroic soldiers, we worked wonders that changed the face of the Middle East."
The incumbent Prime Minister immediately pivoted to recount the recent high-profile military actions that defined his campaign, presenting a detailed inventory of regional operations and strategic strikes.
"We eliminated Deif, Haniyeh, Sinwar, Nasrallah, Khamenei," Netanyahu stated to loud applause. "We established security zones deep within the territory of Gaza, in Lebanon, in Syria. We removed from ourselves an immediate existential threat—the danger of immediate destruction. We struck the Iranian regime; we brought it to the brink of ruin. Iran is weaker than ever; Israel is stronger than ever. Thanks to you, thanks to our heroic soldiers, thanks to our steadfast people, and thanks to the courageous decisions we made." 
Despite praising those defense milestones, Netanyahu warned his audience that the strategic confrontation remains incomplete as long as Tehran's governing regime remains intact.
"And still—still, my friends, I tell you: it is not over yet," Netanyahu cautioned. "Because as long as this fanatical regime exists—a regime that etched on its banner and defined the very essence of its existence as the elimination of our existence—it will try again to destroy us. And in our power, together with our wonderful friend President Trump, we can remove this threat once and for all."
He mocked pre-election surveys and media commentary, arguing that public projections had deliberately understated his political strength in an attempt to suppress voter turnout.
"Do you remember? Do you remember how the propaganda channels engineered public consciousness? 'Likud 18 seats, 19 seats...' They knew all along that it was a lie," Netanyahu asserted. "They tried to suppress—simply to demoralize you from going to the ballot box. That is what happened here. So the first thing that became unequivocally clear is that Likud is the largest party in Israel. There is no dispute about that."
He expanded his claim of victory beyond Likud alone, arguing that overall polling totals showed a firm conservative mandate across the broader electorate.
"And the second thing that became clear—and with this too, they engineered consciousness; it won't help them—the second thing that became clear is that the right-wing bloc has a clear, decisive majority among the Zionist public, among the Jewish public, and all those who support the Jewish state," Netanyahu said. "That is what became clear. A decisive majority."
Based on those conclusions, Netanyahu issued a direct call for nationalist parties to immediately rally behind a joint coalition, while condemning opposition leaders for seeking political support from Arab-led parliamentary factions.
"And therefore I said, and I say again, that we must establish a strong, right-wing national government," Netanyahu declared. "It is forbidden—simply forbidden—to endanger Israel and establish a government that relies on anti-Zionist Arab parties. Parties that oppose our very existence, that view Hamas as a charity organization, and that call our soldiers war criminals."
In response to crowd chants of "Shame!", Netanyahu took direct aim at rival political arrangements and center-left politicians negotiating potential legislative agreements.
"Indeed, that is a shame," Netanyahu remarked. "And I ask: What have we come to? What have we come to when politicians and media outlets talk about this, normalize it, justify it? How can you speak of an 'alliance of those who serve' when you join hands with those who attack our servers—IDF soldiers? Those who not only do not serve the state, but serve the enemies of the state. That is precisely what we have here. This is the Islamic Movement, this is the Joint List, this is Balad—these are anti-Zionist parties that advocate the destruction of the state. You speak of an alliance of those who serve with them? That is a disgrace and a scandal!"
Calling on the nation's majority to consolidate power, Netanyahu insisted that forming a right-wing government is the only way forward.
"This must never come to pass," Netanyahu warned. "The Zionist majority in the State of Israel—the Jewish and Zionist majority—must come to its senses and unite. Yes! Because only in this way, only like this will we ensure the future of Israel."
Netanyahu thanked his supporters for backing his leadership despite long-running judicial proceedings, which he characterized as politically motivated attempts to remove him from office.
"I want to thank the millions of citizens of Israel who placed their trust in us, who placed their trust in me, who rejected with utter disgust the attempt to topple a right-wing government through corrupt, criminal political investigations," Netanyahu said. "I want to thank from the bottom of my heart our heroic soldiers, those wounded in body and soul. To embrace the bereaved families, my brothers and sisters. What inner strength I have seen."
In an emotional highlight, Netanyahu shared a story about visiting a injured soldier at the Western Wall, describing the encounter as a profound demonstration of national resilience.
"I was at the Western Wall... I was at the Western Wall, and before that, I saw a soldier who was injured in the head, in his brain, and went through the grueling rehabilitation process," Netanyahu shared. "It is unbelievable how much mental fortitude—there was a young man there who almost died, and now he is alive and fighting to hold onto life. And when I arrived at the Wall, I saw something that moved me perhaps more than anything else I have ever seen in my life. I saw a young man there, sitting in a wheelchair, nerve-damaged, and he has a tablet, and he types the letters with his nose. The writing of a genius! A genius! I know what the writing of a genius looks like because I have seen it in my life. The writing of a genius, and he says: 'I love IDF soldiers. Give me a chance to serve, give me friends, give me a reason to have a life.' And I hugged him, and I kissed him—Chaim. And after that, I came and placed a note in the Western Wall for the victory of Israel, for the victory of our soldiers." 
Reiterating his strategic priority, Netanyahu insisted that domestic political disagreements must not interfere with neutralising international threats alongside American leadership.
"I want to tell you: Israel stands before a historic, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, together with our partner President Trump, to remove the existential threat from Iran once and for all," Netanyahu reiterated. "Foreign considerations of any kind must not—simply must not—divert us from this sacred mission." 
He closed by offering gratitude to his coalition partners, his family, and religious faith, before delivering a traditional rallying cry to his assembled supporters.
"I also want to take this opportunity to thank my loyal coalition partners," Netanyahu expressed. "They all served faithfully; they stood steadfast against great challenges from within and from without. I want to thank my beloved, dear wife, Sara—Sara—and my beloved sons, Yair and Avner, who endure endless vilification at home and threats to their very lives from Israel's enemies abroad. And finally, finally, I want to thank the Creator of the World, who gives me the strength to continue working for the eternity of Israel, for our beloved people, and our beloved and only country." 
"I want... I want to say to you in closing, citizens of Israel: we have overcome our enemies, and together we will overcome them in the future as well. Fear not, Israel, fear not, for you are a lion whelp. A lion roars, who will not fear? Who will not fear?' The people of Israel live, and the Eternity of Israel will not lie! Thank you very much. Thank you very much to all of you," Netanyahu concluded.
Netanyahu's remakrs come after the race for the Knesset has tightened dramatically as polling figures continue to shift across the board.
Pollster Direct Polls projected 55 seats for the Netanyahu bloc , 49 for the Gadi Eisenkot led opposition bloc and 16 for the Arab parties.
In its updated exit poll, Kan 11, an Israeli state-owned, free-to-air television channel, projects that the pro-Netanyahu bloc and the anti-Netanyahu bloc each hold 51 seats, compared with 50 and 52 seats, respectively, in its previous poll at 11:04 pm (local time), as reported by The Times of Israel.Another poll from agency Filber and presented by the Channel14 projected 60 seats for the Netanyahu bloc, 43 for the opposition and 17 for the Arab parties.
The latest seat adjustments show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party moving to 27 seats from 25, the left-wing alliance The Democrats shifting to nine seats from 10, and the far-right Otzma Yehudit party moving to six seats from seven.