Netanyahu Bloc Falls Short of Majority in Israel Election

Israel's October 28, 2026, election has left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his opponents without a clear path to government, with nearly 90 percent of ballots counted and both major political blocs short of the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority. The results set the stage for coalition negotiations that could determine whether Netanyahu remains in power.

According to Israel's Central Elections Committee, more than five million votes had been counted by 9 p.m. local time on Wednesday. Preliminary projections gave Netanyahu's bloc 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the Jewish opposition parties led by Gadi Eisenkot were projected to hold 48.

Arab political parties, the Joint List and Ra'am, were projected to win a combined 19 seats, potentially their largest representation to date. Their support could influence the formation of the next government, although divisions within the opposition complicate efforts to assemble a majority.

More than 500,000 special double-envelope ballots remained to be counted, according to Al Jazeera. The votes include ballots cast by soldiers, diplomats and other eligible voters away from their registered polling stations. Final results could be announced as early as Thursday evening.

Netanyahu's Likud party remained the largest individual party, with an estimated 26 seats, according to CNN. Although his right-wing bloc lacks a majority, the outcome does not automatically end his premiership. Netanyahu will continue as caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed.

President Isaac Herzog is scheduled to consult party leaders next week after the official results are released. He must select the candidate he believes has the best chance of securing parliamentary support from at least 61 lawmakers, a process that does not necessarily favor the leader of the largest party.

Eisenkot, a former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff, said his alliance would focus on replacing the current government. His remarks followed preliminary results that left his bloc short of a majority without support from Arab parties.

In a statement posted on X on Wednesday, Eisenkot described the opposition's priority as the "heavy task entrusted to us – bringing change to Israel and establishing a Zionist mobilisation government".

He also said the results reflected public rejection of Netanyahu's administration and its handling of the October 7, 2023, attacks and their aftermath.

Opposition parties remain divided over whether to cooperate with Arab-led factions. CNN reported that Eisenkot's right-wing allies Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Liberman have opposed a government dependent on Arab parties, while Yair Golan, leader of the left-wing Democrats party, urged opposition partners to include them in the political bloc.

The Joint List said its preliminary assessment was that Arab voter turnout helped prevent Netanyahu's coalition from securing a parliamentary majority. The alliance said it was prepared to cooperate in efforts to replace his government but would not necessarily join an alternative administration.

Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said the alliance could support an anti-Netanyahu government from outside parliament's governing coalition. The party also called for political unity and measures to protect Arab citizens' rights.

Netanyahu's Likud party, meanwhile, alleged that Arab parties had manipulated the election. In a statement, the party accused them of "stealing the election" through alleged bribery, threats, violence and forgery.

Likud said it was submitting hundreds of testimonies and pieces of evidence to the police, the Shin Bet and the Central Elections Committee. The committee was examining the complaint, CNN reported, while noting that it had already dismissed thousands of complaints submitted by different parties on election day.

The election was widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership following the October 7, 2023, attacks and the subsequent war in Gaza. Record turnout among Arab voters also highlighted the potential influence of Arab citizens in determining the balance of power in parliament.

Despite the inconclusive result, Netanyahu retains a possible route to another term through coalition negotiations. Analysts cited by Al Jazeera suggested that a unity government involving Eisenkot could emerge, although opposition divisions and disagreements over cooperation with Arab parties make the outcome uncertain.

Herzog has urged political parties to avoid another election that could prolong the government-formation deadlock. Israel has historically relied on coalition governments, and no party has ever won an outright majority in the country's parliament.