Israeli Knesset: Coalition math leaves Netanyahu in interim charge

Binyamin Netanyahu remains in power as Israeli officials count the final ballots from Thursday. The results are expected to produce a hung parliament, leaving the country without a clear mandate to govern. Local media projections place Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats and opposition parties at 48 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. A third group of 19 seats is held by Arab-led parties that also seek to replace the prime minister.

The final count may arrive as early as Thursday evening. Approximately 500,000 absentee votes from military personnel, diplomats, and individuals in hospitals or prisons are still being processed. Officials do not expect these ballots to change the overall outcome. The uncertainty now centers on how parties will align to reach the 61-seat majority required to form a government.

Gadi Eisenkot, the former military chief and Netanyahu’s chief rival, issued a statement on Wednesday. He described his goal as forming a government that serves all citizens and reflects the will of the people. Eisenkot has previously said he is open to working with the Arab-led parties. He did not explicitly mention this alliance in his latest public comments, though the Joint List, one of those parties, said it is ready for political cooperation.

The Joint List described the election results as a strong showing for Arab voters. The party noted that many Jewish voters supported them against what it called a tide of racism. Small rallies took place overnight in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in support of a coalition that includes Arab-led parties. This would be a historic move, as no Arab party has served in a coalition government since a brief period in 2021.

Netanyahu’s Likud party has challenged the results despite receiving the most votes. The party accused Arab-led groups of stealing the election and asked the election committee to investigate. Likud did not provide specific evidence for its claims. The election committee stated that the number of reported irregularities was low, describing the election as relatively calm.

President Yitzhak Hertzog will formally task a candidate to form the next government next week. Traditionally, this role goes to the leader of the largest party, but the president is not required to follow that convention. Hertzog signaled on Wednesday that he wants to avoid scheduling a new election. Eisenkot has expressed the same preference. A new vote would raise questions about voter turnout, particularly among Arab citizens and Israelis who traveled home to vote.

The political standoff comes with major policy issues unresolved. The country faces a debate over whether the fast-growing ultra-Orthodox population should remain exempt from compulsory military service. Many families have lost children in the ongoing wars. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, also faces corruption allegations. Critics accuse him of delaying deals to free hostages in Gaza for political gain.

Israel’s international standing is also a factor. Widespread criticism of the treatment of Palestinians in Gaza and violence by Jewish settlers in the West Bank complicate the situation. For Arab citizens, who make up 20 percent of the population, there is cautious hope for change. Brosli Elias, a resident of Nazareth, said, “God willing, we will have something for us in the government, something that will bring us our rights.”

The threat of further strikes against Iran adds to the uncertainty. The Trump administration has spoken of new attacks after the U.S. midterm elections on November 3. Experts suggest Netanyahu could use a renewed conflict to press for a unity government. Such a move could delay a public inquiry into the security failures that led to the Hamas-led assault on October 7, 2023.