Israel: No clear majority and 'the decisive factor is Palestinian'

Occupied Jerusalem – Agencies: The team of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu advanced ahead of its rival opposition bloc yesterday, but remained far from securing a majority, after more than 70% of votes were counted in Israel’s pivotal general elections. The election saw the highest voter turnout in decades. The contest appeared largely to determine the Israeli public’s stance on Netanyahu, the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history, who has steered the country firmly to the right and led a series of conflicts starting with the Gaza Strip and extending against other regional actors.

Following the vote, both Netanyahu and his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, pledged to form a government, although early estimates showed neither had secured a parliamentary majority. After 70.7% of votes were counted, results indicated that Netanyahu’s team had won 54 of the 120 seats in the Knesset. In contrast, the opposition coalition led by Eisenkot secured 47 seats, while Arab parties in Israel, which do not align with either camp, won 19 seats. However, these results are partial and subject to change as vote counting continues.

Exit polls had shown a tight race between Eisenkot’s coalition—the former military commander who recently entered politics—and Netanyahu’s hard-right bloc, with a slight early lead for Eisenkot that soon reversed. The results represent a clear setback for Netanyahu’s religious-right coalition, which previously held 68 seats, leaving him without a clear path to forming a government.

The most significant gains went to Israel’s Arab parties, whose voters turned out in large numbers in opposition to Netanyahu, who had consistently warned that this minority could weaken the Jewish national character of the state, a stance adopted by the government. Partial results suggest that Eisenkot’s camp might be able to secure a parliamentary majority if it reaches a coalition agreement with Arab parties, despite Eisenkot’s campaign pledge not to ally with them. Arab lawmakers could also support Eisenkot in parliamentary votes, allowing a minority government to function without their formal inclusion in the ruling coalition.

Yesterday, the leader of the left and the Democratic Party, Yair Golan, called on his opposition allies to cooperate with Arab parties to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Golan wrote on the X platform, “We must no longer accept the racist division Netanyahu practices between Jewish and Arab votes.” The left-wing leader added, “We bear a responsibility, and we have an opportunity to form a change government in partnership with Arab citizens in Israel.”

The absence of a clear majority for either camp could lead to weeks of negotiations and attempts to form a governing coalition, with the possibility of new elections if talks fail. In the short term, this stalemate may benefit Netanyahu, who will remain head of a caretaker government until a new administration is formed. Final results are expected to be announced late Thursday or early Friday.

Shortly after 3 a.m. yesterday, Netanyahu addressed supporters gathered at a conference center in Jerusalem, calling for the formation of a “strong right-wing government” and urging the unification of the “Jewish and Zionist majority.” The 77-year-old prime minister did not explicitly declare victory. Meanwhile, Eisenkot, 66, included a veiled warning to Netanyahu in his speech to supporters in Tel Aviv, as observers suggest Netanyahu may exploit the state of war to push for a national unity government.

Eisenkot, addressing Netanyahu, said, “Do not dare to exploit Israel’s security to serve your political interests,” in an apparent reference to his threats of new strikes against Iran. He described his rival as a “caretaker prime minister lacking a mandate and the trust of the people.” The elections took place at a time when Israel appears increasingly isolated on the international stage, amid the war in Gaza and tensions with Iran, alongside settlement expansion and rising settler violence against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. Eisenkot agrees with Netanyahu on many security issues and supported the war in Gaza, which has reduced most of the Strip to rubble. However, he pledged to foster a more inclusive climate within Israel and to curb settler violence in the West Bank. With voter turnout reaching nearly 78%, the highest since 1999, Eisenkot said holding a second election would be a mistake and vowed to work swiftly to form a government. He added, “The people have voted for change.” He argued that “a worthy leader would accept the people’s vote of no confidence and announce today his withdrawal from political life.” Arab citizens of Israel are the descendants and grandchildren of the 160,000 Palestinians who remained in their lands after 1948, and they now constitute about 21% of the population.