Israel election appears to have no clear winner with Netanyahu, opponent Eisenkot far short of majorities

The outcome of Israel's election hung in the balance as of Wednesday, with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and challenger Gadi Eisenkot appearing to be well off the numbers needed to form a governing coalition. An updated Channel 13 poll early Wednesday put both blocs at 51 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, the Times of Israel reported. A coalition needs 61 to be able to govern. Channel 12 and Kan 11 showed Eisenkot's bloc slightly ahead at 52-50. Arab-led parties, which belong to neither camp, were projected at 17 to 18 seats, their strongest showing ever. Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff, declared victory and said the preliminary results should give him the first right to try to form a government.