JERUSALEM (dpa-AFX) - There is no clear winner in Israel's parliamentary election, exit polls show.
With more than 60 percent of votes counted, both the ruling coalition, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud, and the Opposition 'Change bloc,' led by the new centrist Yashar party's Gadi Eisenkot, are set to fall short of majority.
After 66.3 percent of votes counted, Netanyahu's far-right and ultra-Orthodox bloc is projected to win 54 seats, and Likud emerging as the largest single party, with 27 seats.
The anti-Netanyahu bloc, consisting of left-wing, centrist and right-wing parties, is projected to win 48 seats, and the prime minister candidate Eisenkot's Yashar is on track to win 21 seats.
Arab parties - the Joint list and Ra'am - are reportedly on track to record their best results ever, following a high turnout among Arab Israeli voters, and together projected to win 18 seats.
According to Israel's constitution, a prime minister needs 61 seats to form a government in the 120-member parliament, which is very difficult in the nation's fractured political scenario.
Yair Golan, an ally of the opposition Change Bloc, has called to form a government with the support of Arab-led parties.
But other parties in the alliance are against it, citing a lack of shared values.
Some reports say the Arab parties could emerge as kingmakers.
Who is going to form a majority government remains too close to call, as the final count is not expected before the weekend, reports say.
Voter turnout on Tuesday was 77.7 percent, the highest since 1999, according to the Central Elections Committee.
As trends emerged, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot addressed supporters Tuesday night.
Though neither of them claimed victory, both the leaders pledged to form the next government.
'We must establish a strong national right-wing government,' Netanyahu said, adding. 'Israel must not be endangered with a government that relies on anti-Zionist Arab parties that oppose our very existence, that see Hamas as a charity organization, that calls our soldiers war criminals.'
Addressing supporters at his election headquarters in Tel Aviv, Eisenkot said the country voted against Netanyahu.
'The public has chosen change,' according to the former military chief.
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