- Netanyahu’s bloc leads with 53 seats, short of majority.
- Netanyahu claims victory, advocating for a right-wing government.
- Opposition seeks cooperation with Arab parties to form government.
With 92 per cent of ballot boxes counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc is leading Israel’s election but remains short of a parliamentary majority. His alliance has 53 seats, compared with 48 for the Eisenkot-led opposition bloc, while Arab parties hold 19 seats. Despite Netanyahu claiming a strong showing among Jewish voters, the results suggest that neither side has enough seats to govern alone.
Netanyahu Claims Victory
Netanyahu has called for the formation of a national right-wing government, arguing that right-wing parties have won a decisive majority among the Zionist public.
Netanyahu’s Likud party and its allies have secured a combined 53 seats, while the opposition bloc has won 48. Arab parties have secured 19 seats. However, Israel’s parties often form alliances to gain enough support to govern.
This means Netanyahu’s bloc is currently ahead, but it does not have enough seats to form a government on its own. The opposition could try to form a government by working with Arab parties. Israel’s parliament has 120 seats, and a majority of at least 61 seats is needed to form a government.
Golan Courts Arab Parties
Yair Golan, leader of the left-wing Democrats party, has urged opposition allies to cooperate with Arab parties to form a government capable of unseating Netanyahu.
Several opposition parties have traditionally resisted such cooperation, despite Arab parties’ significant representation in parliament.
In a post on X, Golan criticised what he described as Netanyahu’s racial division between Jewish and Arab voters.
He argued that the opposition had both a responsibility and an opportunity to establish a government of change in partnership with Israel’s Arab citizens.
Also Read: Who Is Gadi Eisenkot? The Former Army Chief Challenging Netanyahu’s Grip On Israel
Coalition Talks Loom
Israel’s political system relies on coalition governments, as no single party has ever secured an outright parliamentary majority. Parties must therefore negotiate alliances to reach the 61-seat threshold.
With Netanyahu’s bloc currently at 53 seats, it remains short of the numbers needed to govern independently.
Also Read: Netanyahu Rules Out Arab Party Support, Calls For Strong Right-Wing Government Amid Tight Contest
