Israel's parliamentary election ends without a clear majority

Israel’s latest parliamentary election concluded with no party or bloc reaching the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120‑member Knesset, according to Israeli media reports. The final count, covering more than 99 percent of ballots cast on Tuesday, placed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right‑wing bloc at 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured 48 seats. Arab‑list parties together hold 19 seats, a figure that could prove decisive in any coalition formation.

The election, the first since the October 7, 2023 attacks and the ensuing conflict in Gaza, has been described by observers as a de‑facto referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership. With the provisional results published on Thursday, both the governing bloc and the opposition fell short of the threshold required to form a government without additional partners, meaning the Knesset will remain without a certified governing majority until the results are formally announced on Wednesday.

In response to the stalemate, Eisenkot, head of the Yashar party, met with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett of the Together party to discuss rapid coalition options, according to a statement reported by Israel’s Ynet News outlet. Eisenkot also held talks with Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats party, who is the sole opposition figure willing to consider a coalition that includes parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel. Golan subsequently met with Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List (Ra’am), which is projected to win seven of the Arab bloc’s seats.

Al Jazeera correspondent Nour Odeh noted that Eisenkot faces a significant challenge, as he has publicly ruled out alliances with Palestinian‑Israeli parties. Given the distribution of seats, any viable governing coalition would likely require the support of Arab‑led parties, a prospect that remains contested among the opposition factions.