Israelis await final counts as Netanyahu bloc lacks Knesset majority

Israeli voters waited for final election results on Thursday to confirm a projected deadlock in the 120-seat Knesset. Local media estimates place Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats, leaving it short of the 61 seats required to form a government. Opposition parties are projected to hold 48 seats, while Arab-led parties are expected to secure 19 seats. All three groups indicated a desire to move past the current administration.

The counting of approximately 500,000 absentee ballots from military personnel, diplomats, and hospital patients could finalize the numbers by Thursday evening. Officials indicated these ballots are not expected to change the overall seat distribution dramatically. The process concluded with a relatively calm election, with the election committee reporting a low number of irregularities despite claims from Netanyahu’s Likud party.

Gadi Eisenkot, the chief rival to Netanyahu and former military chief, addressed the outcome in his first public statement since Wednesday. He described a future government as one that serves all citizens and reflects the will of the people. Eisenkot did not explicitly confirm a partnership with Arab-led parties in his immediate remarks, though he has previously stated he is open to such cooperation to reach the majority threshold.

The Joint List, one of the major Arab-led parties, cited an "unprecedented show of strength" in its late Wednesday statement. The party noted Jewish voters willing to challenge historical norms and expressed openness to political cooperation. Small rallies formed overnight in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem to support a coalition that includes Arab-led parties, a move not seen in a governing role since a brief period in 2021.

President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to task an individual with forming the next government next week. Tradition favors the leader of the party with the most votes, but this is not a legal requirement. Both Herzog and Eisenkot signaled a preference to avoid a second round of elections early next year, which would require assessing whether Arab citizens and diaspora voters would participate again in large numbers.

The political standoff occurs against a backdrop of deep societal divisions regarding ultra-Orthodox military service exemptions and the ongoing war in Gaza. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, faces corruption allegations and accusations that he delayed hostage deals for political gain. His administration has also faced international criticism over the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and violence in the occupied West Bank.

Netanyahu’s Likud party accused Arab-led parties of stealing the election and requested an investigation by the election committee. The party did not provide specific evidence for these claims, and the committee maintained that the reported irregularities were low. This dispute adds friction to the coalition talks as leaders weigh the cost of a unity government against the prospect of new elections.