Israel’s election results show opposition parties securing 67 seats against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc with 85.6% of votes counted. Around 500,000 votes remain uncounted, leaving coalition negotiations, Arab party support and the possibility of another election uncertain.
Israel is facing political uncertainty following Tuesday’s parliamentary election, with parties opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu securing 67 seats in the 120-member Knesset after 85.6 per cent of votes were counted. However, the results remain preliminary, as approximately half a million special ballots are still awaiting counting and verification.
According to updated figures from Israel’s Central Elections Committee, Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc has secured 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot has won 48 seats. Arab-majority parties have secured another 19 seats, bringing the combined number of seats held by parties opposing Netanyahu to 67.
A political bloc needs at least 61 seats to command a majority in the 120-member parliament. Neither of the main camps has reached that threshold independently, leaving the formation of the next government uncertain.
The remaining ballots include votes cast by soldiers, police personnel, diplomats, hospital patients and other eligible voters who were unable to vote at their designated polling stations. These ballots are placed in double envelopes to allow officials to verify voter identities and prevent duplicate voting.
The counting process is expected to continue through Thursday or Friday, according to reports citing election officials. The final distribution of parliamentary seats could change once these ballots have been counted and verified.
In the party-wise tally, Netanyahu’s Likud remained the largest single party with 26 seats, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar party with 21. The Joint List, an alliance of Arab-majority parties, and the centre-right Together party secured 12 seats each, while the Arab-majority Ra’am party won seven seats in the preliminary count.
The results have placed Arab parties in a potentially significant position during the coalition-building process. Arab political representatives have called for cooperation with Eisenkot’s bloc through what they describe as an unprecedented Jewish-Arab partnership.
However, the prospects for such an arrangement remain uncertain. Eisenkot has repeatedly ruled out forming a government with Arab parties or relying on their support, while Netanyahu has also rejected their participation in government. These opposing positions could complicate efforts to assemble a parliamentary majority.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has called for every possible effort to avoid another election. With neither main bloc holding enough seats to govern alone, political leaders face the challenge of negotiating agreements with parties outside their respective alliances.
Several possible scenarios are being discussed, including prolonged coalition negotiations, the formation of a broad unity government or another parliamentary election if political parties fail to reach an agreement. The final outcome will depend on the confirmed seat distribution and the willingness of parties to negotiate.
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Israel’s proportional representation system adds another element of uncertainty. Political parties must secure at least 3.25 per cent of the national vote to enter parliament. Consequently, changes in the final vote totals could affect which smaller parties qualify for seats and influence the balance among political blocs.
The election has therefore left Israel facing a period of political negotiations, with the remaining special ballots expected to play an important role in determining the final parliamentary composition. Until the official results are finalised and coalition arrangements become clearer, the formation of the next government remains unresolved.
