Netanyahu Leads but Falls Short of Majority in Israel’s Election Count

Partial results from Israel’s recent general election, covering about 85% of the ballots, indicate that incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, together with its far‑right and ultra‑Orthodox partners, is poised to secure 53 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. This places the bloc ahead of former military chief Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party and its three allied Jewish opposition parties, which together are projected to hold 48 seats.

Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have stated their intention to pursue coalition talks despite neither bloc achieving an outright majority. The election also marks a historic performance for Arab‑led parties, which are on course to win roughly 19 seats, a figure that could make them pivotal in any coalition formation. However, all but one of the Jewish parties have publicly pledged not to join a government that includes the Arab bloc.

Around 430,000 to 480,000 absentee ballots remain to be counted. These include votes from soldiers, diplomats and hospital patients, and officials expect the final tally to be completed within the next one to two days. Once the full results are certified, President Isaac Herzog will begin consultations with all political factions to determine which leader is most likely to assemble a viable governing coalition.

President Herzog, speaking at his Jerusalem residence, praised the 77.7% voter turnout as the highest in more than two decades, describing it as a “badge of honour for Israeli society.” He added that he anticipates receiving the official results next week and will work to avoid a repeat election, urging all parties to approach coalition talks with an open mind.