Israel faces prolonged coalition negotiations after an inconclusive election leaves Netanyahu’s bloc short of the majority needed to form government.
Israel is facing renewed political uncertainty after its latest election failed to produce a clear parliamentary majority, setting the stage for potentially prolonged negotiations over the formation of a new government.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, each sought to cast the results as favourable to their respective camps. However, preliminary projections showed that neither side had secured the 61 seats required to form a government in the 120-member Knesset.
The Central Elections Committee continued counting ballots on Wednesday, with final results expected later in the week. The election was the first held since the Hamas-led attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
With about 48.4% of the votes counted, Israeli media projections put Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc on 55 seats, while Eisenkot’s bloc was projected to win 50. Arab parties were expected to secure 15 seats, although the figures could change as counting continued.
The outcome leaves both major blocs short of a governing majority and increases the likelihood of difficult negotiations among political parties.
For Netanyahu, the result represents a setback for his nationalist-religious coalition, which previously controlled as many as 68 seats. However, the deadlock could allow him to remain caretaker prime minister while efforts to form a new coalition continue.
If neither side is able to secure the support needed to form a government, Israel could eventually face another election.
Netanyahu’s camp has ruled out forming a coalition with Arab parties, while Arab political groups have campaigned against the prime minister and his far-right allies.
Eisenkot, the leader of the Yashar party and a former military chief, has also largely ruled out relying on Arab parties, further complicating efforts by either camp to reach the 61-seat threshold.
Far-right parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich were projected to win a combined 13 seats within Netanyahu’s bloc, with neither party recording significant gains.
Speaking to supporters at Likud’s election headquarters in Jerusalem in the early hours of Wednesday, Netanyahu called for the formation of a strong right-wing national government.
He also highlighted Israel’s military achievements and pointed to the possibility of greater cooperation with US President Donald Trump in confronting Iran.
Netanyahu said Israel had an important opportunity to work with Trump to address what he described as the threat posed by Iran, while warning that political considerations should not interfere with the country’s security priorities.
Trump, who endorsed Netanyahu during the election campaign, said the Israeli prime minister had performed well when asked about the results.
The US president described the race as extremely close and suggested that even a tie could be viewed positively for Netanyahu given the political circumstances.
Eisenkot, however, offered a different interpretation of the outcome, saying voters had rejected the prospect of Netanyahu continuing as prime minister.
He described Netanyahu as a caretaker leader without a fresh mandate and called on Israel’s security establishment to ensure that political interests did not override national security.
Voter turnout reached 77.7%, according to the Central Elections Committee, the highest participation rate in more than two decades and about seven percentage points higher than in the 2022 election.
The strong turnout among Arab citizens was particularly significant, as Arab parties could play an important role in determining the outcome of coalition negotiations.
At the Joint List headquarters in Nazareth, supporters celebrated after exit polls were released, with candidates hoping strong Arab participation would help prevent Netanyahu and his allies from returning to power.
The election was held against the backdrop of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.
The attack triggered the war in Gaza and was followed by fighting with Hezbollah in Lebanon and heightened tensions with Iran.
Netanyahu has faced criticism over security and intelligence failures that preceded the Hamas attack. He has defended his record by pointing to the killing of senior figures from Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran during Israel’s subsequent military campaigns.
His government’s policies have also deepened divisions within Israel and attracted international criticism. Netanyahu has nevertheless continued to portray himself as the leader best equipped to confront the country’s enemies.
Eisenkot, 66, emerged as Netanyahu’s strongest challenger, drawing on his military background while presenting himself as a centrist alternative on domestic issues.
He entered politics four years ago and joined Netanyahu’s war cabinet following the October 7 attack. He later left the government, criticising Netanyahu’s handling of the war and his leadership.
Despite his differences with Netanyahu and his far-right allies, Eisenkot has maintained a tough stance on security. He opposes Palestinian statehood and has called for Hamas’ military capabilities to be dismantled.
He has also described Israel’s response to the October 7 attack as a failure, arguing that Hamas remains in control despite Israel’s extensive military campaign in Gaza.
Netanyahu, 77, has served as Israel’s prime minister for nearly 19 of the past 30 years and has repeatedly survived major political crises.
He entered the latest election facing longstanding corruption charges, which he denies, as well as continued criticism over the intelligence failures surrounding the Hamas attack.