By Ahmed Abdelsalam
Israel's general election has produced a parliamentary deadlock, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc nor the opposition alliance led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot securing the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. Arab-Israeli parties have surged to a projected 19 seats, their strongest showing in generations, positioning them as potential kingmakers in coalition negotiations.
Trump Signals Possible Intervention
Former U.S. President Donald Trump has not ruled out involvement in Israel's coalition-building efforts, saying he would "take a look" at the matter. A U.S. official stated that Washington has not decided whether to intervene and denied reports of a preferred outcome as "false and premature." Trump previously endorsed Netanyahu and his Likud party during the campaign.
Arab Bloc's Historic Performance and Accusations of Racism
The Joint List alliance, which includes the Balad party, is on track for 19 seats, up from 10 in the previous parliament. Balad leader Sami Abu Shehadeh accused Israel's main political leaders of "racism" for refusing to consider a coalition with Arab-led parties. "We are a legitimate elected leadership of the national minority," he told Al Jazeera. Former Israeli ambassador Daniel Shek described the surge in Arab voting as the election's most important phenomenon.
Deadlock Between Netanyahu and Eisenkot
With roughly 85 percent of votes counted, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot fall short of a governing majority. Key parties have ruled out cooperation on ideological or personal grounds, meaning any administration would require at least one faction to reverse campaign pledges. Israeli law mandates a new election if no coalition is formed.
Netanyahu's Unsubstantiated Fraud Claims
Netanyahu's Likud party has repeated unsubstantiated allegations that Arab citizens "stole" the election, despite the central elections committee finding no evidence of widespread irregularities. Analysts say the claims aim to delegitimize Arab voters' ballots because their support could enable Netanyahu's rivals to oust him.
Record Arab Turnout and Regional Indifference
Voter turnout among Arab citizens of Israel reached unprecedented levels. In Gaza and Lebanon, residents expressed little hope for change regardless of the outcome, with some viewing both Netanyahu and Eisenkot as hostile to Palestinian interests.
Caretaker Government Constraints and War Powers
As caretaker prime minister, Netanyahu faces legal duties of restraint and limitations on appointments, but experts say his government retains significant authority, including the power to wage war on Iran. Eisenkot warned that Netanyahu might use security issues for political gain.
Trump Claims Credit for Netanyahu's Performance
On Truth Social, Trump shared a post asserting that his endorsement turned Netanyahu's campaign around, turning a potential defeat into a "stalemate, or even a WIN."
Knife Attack on Israeli Embassy in Serbia
Separately, a knife-wielding attacker who wounded a police officer guarding the Israeli embassy in Belgrade was shot dead. Serbia raised its security threat level to the highest tier and increased police presence at key sites.
