Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc is leading the country’s parliamentary election but remains short of the majority needed to form a government.
With nearly 90% of votes counted, Netanyahu’s alliance is projected to secure 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is expected to win 48.
Meanwhile, Arab parties could secure a combined 19 seats, potentially giving them significant influence over Israel’s political future.
The results leave the country facing uncertainty as political leaders prepare for difficult coalition negotiations.
Israel election results show no clear winner
According to Al Jazeera, citing the Israeli Central Elections Committee and Anadolu, more than five million votes had been counted by Wednesday evening.
Neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor Eisenkot’s opposition alliance had reached the 61 seats required to control parliament.
Netanyahu’s alliance currently holds the advantage, but its projected 53 seats would leave it eight seats short of a majority.
Eisenkot’s bloc, meanwhile, is projected to secure 48 seats.
More than 500,000 special ballots remain to be counted.
These include votes cast by soldiers, diplomats and other voters who submitted ballots outside their registered polling stations.
Final results could be announced as early as Thursday evening, although the outcome of coalition negotiations remains uncertain.
Arab parties could win record 19 seats
One of the most significant developments in the election is the strong performance of Arab political parties.
The Joint List and Ra’am are projected to secure a combined 19 seats, potentially their highest total.
The result follows strong turnout among Palestinian citizens of Israel.
The Joint List said Arab voters had played an important role in preventing Netanyahu’s coalition from securing a parliamentary majority.
The alliance argued that the election demonstrated growing opposition to the government’s policies.
Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said his party could support an alternative government from outside the coalition.
However, he ruled out formally joining such an administration.
Despite their projected parliamentary strength, Arab parties face considerable obstacles to influencing the formation of the next government.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have rejected the prospect of forming a government dependent on Arab-led parties.
Netanyahu’s Likud party alleges election fraud
As the results emerged, Netanyahu’s Likud party accused Arab parties of electoral misconduct.
The party alleged that bribery, intimidation, violence and other irregularities had influenced voting in some Arab-majority polling stations.
Likud said it was submitting evidence to the police, Israel’s domestic security agency Shin Bet and the Central Elections Committee.
However, the allegations have not been independently established.
The Joint List rejected the political attacks against Arab voters, describing the election results as a response to intimidation and discriminatory policies.
The dispute has added further tension to an already closely contested election.
Can Netanyahu form Israel’s next government?
Although Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win more seats than Eisenkot’s, forming a government will require support from additional lawmakers.
Israel’s parliamentary system requires a coalition capable of commanding at least 61 seats.
No single party has ever secured an outright majority in the Knesset.
Some political analysts have suggested that Netanyahu could pursue a unity government involving Eisenkot’s alliance.
However, there is no confirmed agreement between the two leaders.
Eisenkot has presented the election as an opportunity to replace Netanyahu’s government.
The opposition leader said his alliance remained committed to bringing political change to Israel.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, will remain caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed.
President Isaac Herzog is expected to begin consultations with political parties next week, following the publication of official results.
Herzog has urged political leaders to avoid another election.
What the election means for Palestinians
The election is the first national vote in Israel since the October 7, 2023, attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza.
It comes amid continuing international scrutiny of Israeli policies towards Palestinians.
Palestinian citizens of Israel are eligible to vote in parliamentary elections and can elect representatives to the Knesset.
However, Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza cannot vote in Israeli national elections, despite being directly affected by decisions made by Israel’s government.
Israeli settlers living in the occupied West Bank, by contrast, can participate in those elections.
The distinction highlights the different political rights experienced by populations living under Israeli authority.
For Palestinians, the election’s outcome could influence future policies concerning Gaza, the occupied West Bank and relations with Palestinian political representatives.
However, the extent of any policy changes will depend on the composition of the next government.
Coalition negotiations could determine Israel’s future
With the final ballots still being counted, Israel’s political direction remains uncertain.
Netanyahu’s bloc holds a narrow advantage, but the projected results do not guarantee that he will remain prime minister.
Arab parties have emerged with potentially significant parliamentary representation, although their role in coalition negotiations remains limited by the positions of the major blocs.
The coming days will determine whether Israel moves towards a new coalition, a unity government or another period of political deadlock.
For now, neither of the country’s two main political alliances has secured a clear path to power.