JERUSALEM: Intense political maneuvering unfolded in Israel on Friday after final election results confirmed that neither major bloc secured the 61 seats needed to form a government in the 120-seat Knesset.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance fell short of a majority with 53 seats, while the main opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot captured 48. Arab-led parties made historic gains, winning an unprecedented 19 seats. With no clear path to a coalition, parties have launched urgent negotiations to bridge the gap.
“Now comes the hard part,” centrist politician Yair Lapid stated. “If you want to know if something’s happening behind the silence, the answer is yes.”
The official results will be presented to President Isaac Herzog next Wednesday, initiating the formal process of selecting a candidate to form a government. Should successive attempts fail, the country will head to a new election next year.
Even as coalition talks proceed, the new Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. Eisenkot’s bloc is considering cooperation with Arab parties to elect a parliamentary speaker—a move that would grant them control over the legislative agenda and the ability to advance bills. Such an alliance has occurred only once before, in 2021.
Public rallies have urged Eisenkot to formalize a partnership with Arab-led factions. “We should join forces and cooperate with the Arab parties, a legitimate population in the state of Israel,” said Miri Sklair, a demonstrator from Jaffa.
