Jerusalem: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's political bloc has failed to secure a parliamentary majority after the final election results confirmed that it won 53 seats in the 120 seat Knesset. The opposition grouping led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot secured 48 seats, while Arab parties won a combined 19 seats, placing them in a potentially decisive position in the formation of the next government.
The Central Elections Committee published the final seat allocation on October 30, confirming the distribution of seats in the Israeli parliament. Neither of the two main political groupings has reached the 61 seats required to secure a parliamentary majority. The outcome has left Israel facing political uncertainty, with negotiations expected to determine whether Netanyahu can remain in power or the opposition can establish an alternative government.
Netanyahu's Likud party emerged as the largest individual party with 27 seats. Eisenkot's Yashar party secured 21 seats, followed by B'Yachad with 12 seats and the Joint List with 11 seats. The Democrats and Ra'am each won eight seats, while Yisrael Beytenu, United Torah Judaism and Otzma Yehudit secured seven seats apiece. Shas and Religious Zionism each won six seats.
Voter turnout reached 77.9 per cent, with 5,716,665 votes cast. The figure represents the highest turnout in decades and reflects strong public participation in an election that was widely viewed as a major test of Netanyahu's leadership.
The performance of Arab parties has become one of the most significant aspects of the election. The Joint List won 11 seats, while Ra'am secured eight, giving them a combined total of 19 seats. Their parliamentary strength could become crucial if the opposition attempts to form a government.
Together, Eisenkot's opposition grouping and the two Arab parties hold 67 seats, enough to support a parliamentary majority if they reach a political agreement. However, political and ideological differences remain significant. Eisenkot has ruled out including Arab parties as formal members of his government, although their support from outside the coalition could become an option. No agreement has been reached so far.
Israeli media reports have also suggested that some figures within United Torah Judaism are considering the possibility of supporting a minority government led by the opposition without formally joining it. Under the reported proposal, the party could abstain in certain parliamentary votes. However, this possibility remains uncertain, particularly because of disagreements over legislation concerning exemptions from compulsory military service for ultra Orthodox students.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has reaffirmed his intention to continue working with his existing right wing allies, including Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir. However, his bloc remains eight seats short of the parliamentary majority required to govern without additional support.
The election results have also triggered controversy over allegations of foreign interference and electoral fraud. Netanyahu's Likud party has accused Arab political groups of benefiting from alleged irregularities and possible foreign involvement. The allegations have included claims of financial assistance from Qatar intended to influence Arab voter participation.
Qatar has denied any involvement in the alleged interference. No publicly established evidence has confirmed the accusations. Arab political leaders have also rejected the allegations and criticised them as attempts to undermine their participation in Israeli politics.
Israel's Shin Bet security agency is investigating suspected foreign interference following a request from the chairman of the Central Elections Committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg. However, the election authorities have stressed that the investigation does not establish systematic violations of election integrity and will not affect the published seat allocation.
Acting Central Elections Committee Director General Dean Livne has said that the investigation will not delay the submission of the election results to President Isaac Herzog. The authorities have also warned against treating allegations involving individuals as evidence of wrongdoing by the wider Arab population.
The election was the first national vote since the Hamas led attacks on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, which triggered the subsequent war in Gaza. Netanyahu's leadership, the security failures surrounding the attacks, the conduct of the war and disagreements over military service exemptions were among the major issues shaping the political debate.
The next stage of the process will involve President Isaac Herzog, who is scheduled to receive the official election results on November 4. He will consult political parties before assigning a candidate the task of forming a government. The newly elected 26th Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.
Netanyahu will remain prime minister while the government formation process continues. If neither political grouping succeeds in securing sufficient parliamentary support, Israel could face further political uncertainty and potentially another election.
The outcome has left Israel facing difficult coalition negotiations, with the support of smaller political groups likely to determine who leads the next government.