By Karim Hammam
Israel's political future hung in the balance Wednesday as vote counts showed neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing bloc nor the opposition alliance led by former general Gadi Eisenkot securing the 61 Knesset seats needed for a majority government. With 70% of ballots tallied, both Jewish blocs appeared certain to fall short, leaving the formation of a coalition dependent on Arab Israeli parties that surged to a projected 16-19 seats.
Exit polls shift as count continues
Initial exit polls had given Eisenkot's Change bloc a narrow lead, but Netanyahu's Likud-led coalition edged ahead as counting progressed. Absentee ballots, including those from deployed soldiers, have yet to be fully counted and could further alter the balance. The army vote typically leans right, though the presence of older reservists on active duty may complicate that pattern.
Palestinian parties surge to record seats
The Joint List and Ra'am (United Arab List) together achieved their strongest showing ever, positioning them as potential kingmakers. Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said the result means his party "can't be ignored under any political scenario" and vowed to work to oust Netanyahu's government, which he accused of making life bitter for Arab citizens.
Opposition faces choice on Arab party cooperation
Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats and a junior partner in Eisenkot's bloc, urged negotiations with the Arab parties, arguing that excluding them surrenders to Netanyahu. Eisenkot, however, appeared to rule out a broad coalition with Arab parties in an overnight declaration claiming a "Zionist majority." Commentators noted that Netanyahu's reliance on ultra-Orthodox parties, which are non-Zionist and oppose conscription, undermines Eisenkot's Zionist litmus test.
Trump claims credit for Netanyahu performance
Former U.S. President Donald Trump took credit for Netanyahu's better-than-expected showing, stating his endorsement "helped him a lot" and predicting either a stalemate or a Netanyahu win.
President Herzog to mandate government formation
Once all votes are counted, President Isaac Herzog will task a party leader with forming a government within six weeks. If the first choice fails, the mandate passes to the rival. Netanyahu remains in office as caretaker prime minister during the negotiations, and political deadlock could trigger another election — Israel's sixth since 2019.
High turnout amid war and legal challenges
Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999, with a marked increase in voting by serving military members. The election was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who faces a corruption trial and an International Criminal Court warrant for alleged war crimes. Since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel has fought in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, and Iran, with over 74,000 Palestinians killed in Gaza according to the article.
