Israel Vote: Netanyahu's Bloc Falls Short of 61 Seats
Arab-led parties win 19 seats, forcing opposition to choose between a historic alliance or a fragile unity government.
By Adriana Abebe ·
Fifteen seats separated the ruling bloc from the 61 needed to govern Israel alone after Tuesday’s election. Final results released early Friday show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition holds 53 seats, while the main opposition bloc secured 48.
The remaining 19 seats went to parties with Arab leadership, a historic tally that now dictates the next steps. Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israeli history, remains in power until a new government is formed. The political math requires the opposition to find enough partners to reach the majority threshold.
Yair Lapid, a centrist politician, warned that the difficult phase has begun. "If you want to know if anything is happening behind the silence you are hearing now, the answer is yes," he wrote on X, urging patience. The opposition faces a strategic dilemma. They campaigned heavily to remove Netanyahu, yet they must now decide whether to ally with Arab-led parties or join a potentially unstable unity government with him.
Tensions rose before the official announcement. Netanyahu and his Likud party amplified claims that Arab parties stole the election with foreign help. Noam Sohlberg, head of the electoral commission, stated that serious suspicions of foreign interference were presented but could not be verified. He asked the Shin Bet security agency to investigate.
The Shin Bet said its investigation did not aim to cast suspicion on the entire Arab population, which makes up 20 percent of the country. Dean Livne, the acting director general of the electoral authority, called media reports about the probe "totally unfounded." He noted that the final results would be presented to President Isaac Herzog without change.
In his first public statement on Friday, Netanyahu declared on X that it is forbidden to form a coalition with Arab parties. Critics, including the opposition, accused him of demonizing a demographic that turned out to vote in record numbers. Qatar, which many Israelis view as a patron of Hamas, denied the accusations, calling them "ridiculous and dangerous."
The final results must be certified and handed to President Herzog next Wednesday. He will then task a leader with forming the government. If that fails, Israel will return to the polls in early 2027. Herzog said this week he will do everything possible to avoid a repeat vote. New Knesset members are expected to take office on November 10.
