Netanyahu’s Allies Lose Majority as Arab Parties Gain Ground

Post created on 11:27 am

Final results from Israel’s general election show Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s camp finishing ahead of opposition rivals but remaining well short of a parliamentary majority.

The official vote count released Friday by the Central Elections Committee sets the stage for protracted coalition negotiations or a potential return to the polls if talks fail.

According to the final tally, Netanyahu’s right-wing and far-right coalition secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, with his Likud party maintaining its position as the largest single faction with 27 seats. The main opposition bloc, led by centrist candidate Gadi Eisenkot, won 48 seats.

The election outcome highlights the rising influence of Arab party groupings Ra’am and the Joint List, which secured a combined 19 seats to position themselves as potential kingmakers.

With neither primary bloc able to reach the 61-seat threshold required to form a government, political leaders face weeks of complex bargaining to break the deadlock.