Netanyahu Remains in Charge as Israel Counts Final Ballots

Israelis waited on Thursday for the final tally of parliamentary seats to confirm the fragmented outcome of the recent election. No single bloc has secured the 61 seats required to form a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in office while parties negotiate their next moves.

Local media projections indicate Netanyahu’s bloc holds 53 seats. Opposition parties hold 48 seats. A third group of Arab-led parties, which also campaigned against Netanyahu, holds 19 seats. The final count may shift by a few seats once roughly 500,000 absentee ballots from military personnel, diplomats, and prisoners are processed. Officials do not expect these votes to change the overall balance of power.

The path to a government now depends on unlikely alliances. Former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, the chief rival to Netanyahu, spoke of a government serving the will of the people in his first public statement since Wednesday. He has said he is open to working with Arab-led parties to reach a majority. Until 2021, no Arab party had joined a coalition government, and that period was brief.

The Joint List, one of the major Arab parties, noted late Wednesday that it is open to political cooperation. The party praised Jewish voters who supported a change in leadership. Small rallies took place overnight in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem in support of a coalition that includes Arab representatives. For Arab citizens, who make up 20% of Israel’s population, this represents a potential shift in political representation.

Netanyahu’s Likud party received the most individual votes but accused Arab-led parties of stealing the election. The party asked the election committee to investigate but provided no specific evidence. The committee stated that reported irregularities in the relatively calm election were low.

The election cycle began with a focus on security and the ongoing war in Gaza. Netanyahu has faced criticism for delaying hostage deals for political gain. He also faces corruption allegations. The war has deepened divisions over whether the ultra-Orthodox population should remain exempt from compulsory military service. Many families have lost children in three years of inconclusive fighting.

President Isaac Herzog will task a politician with forming the next government next week. Tradition favors the leader of the largest party, but it is not a requirement. Herzog signaled on Wednesday that he wants to avoid a repeat election. Eisenkot has expressed a similar desire to prevent a second vote.

If no government forms after multiple attempts, Israel will face new elections early next year. A second vote would raise questions about whether Arab citizens and the tens of thousands of Israelis who flew home to vote would participate again. Many said they traveled to save the country from Netanyahu’s leadership.

The Trump administration has spoken of new attacks on Iran after the U.S. midterm elections on Nov. 3. Experts suggest Netanyahu could use a renewed war to press for a unity government with him in charge. Such a move could delay a public inquiry into the security failures that led to the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led assault.

Brosli Elias, a resident of Nazareth, said there is cautious hope for change. He stated that he expects the government to bring rights to Arab citizens. The final results are expected by Thursday evening.