Coalition talks loom in Israel as Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs set to fall short of majority
Israel's election has resulted in a near tie between Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot, with both falling short of a parliamentary majority, according to preliminary counts.
Israel's political future remains uncertain after Tuesday's election resulted in a near tie between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition led by retired general Gadi Eisenkot. With 70% of votes counted, both Jewish blocs appear set to fall short of the 61 Knesset seats required for a majority government, leaving the country in a state of political limbo.
The vote count revealed a tight race that could swing depending on absentee ballots, particularly those from deployed soldiers whose votes typically lean right. The election saw a record 77.7% turnout, the highest since 1999, with increased participation from serving military members.
Political choices ahead
The election outcome presents Eisenkot and his allies with a critical decision: either form a coalition with Arab Israeli parties heading for a record result of 16-19 seats, or risk enabling Netanyahu to remain in power through new elections or a unity government.
Eisenkot had previously appeared to rule out such a broad coalition, declaring victory for what he called a "Zionist majority." However, Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats within Eisenkot's bloc, urged his leader to negotiate with Palestinian parties.
We have no future here if we don't stop being afraid. And if we don't put an end to racism. We can no longer accept Netanyahu's racist distinction between Jewish and Arab votes.
Arab parties' strong showing
The Joint List and Ra'am (United Arab List) achieved significant gains, with the Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen declaring that its strong performance means it "can't be ignored under any political scenario." He criticized Netanyahu's government, particularly extremist national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, for making life bitter for every Arab citizen.
We will be ready to pave the way to oust the government of Netanyahu, Ben-Gvir and Smotrich – and send them home.
Another Joint List official framed the choice facing the Jewish opposition as between "supremacy or building democracy," highlighting the ideological divide in the political landscape.
International involvement
Former US President Donald Trump took credit for Netanyahu's better-than-expected performance, claiming his overt backing made a difference in the election. "When the endorsement went out, it helped him a lot," Trump said, suggesting the result was heading for a stalemate or Netanyahu win.
The election occurred amid ongoing international scrutiny of Israel's conduct in Gaza and the West Bank, with Netanyahu facing separate accusations of genocide and being wanted by the international criminal court for alleged war crimes.
Israel's president, Isaac Herzog, will eventually task one party leader with forming a government within six weeks. If that fails, the opportunity passes to their rival. Netanyahu would remain in a caretaker capacity during this period, potentially benefiting from another deadlock that could lead to new elections.
Related
