Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu lost his governing coalition’s parliamentary majority after legislative elections on October 27, leaving the 120-seat Knesset fractured and without an immediate path to a new government.
Certified Election Results Leave Knesset Split Across Three Blocs
The final vote count leaves all existing political alliances short of the 61 seats required for a Knesset majority. The pro-Netanyahu coalition secured 53 seats, led by Likud with 27 seats, United Torah Judaism with seven, Otzma Yehudit with seven, Shas with six, and Religious Zionism with six. Meanwhile, an opposition bloc of Jewish parties opposing Netanyahu won 48 seats, comprised of Yashar with 21, B’Yachad with 12, The Democrats with eight, and Yisrael Beytenu with seven. Arab-led parties captured the remaining 19 seats, split between the Joint List with 11 and Ra’am with eight.
This breakdown forces parties to realign across traditional bloc lines. While anti-Netanyahu parties hold 67 seats combined, Zionist anti-Netanyahu parties won only 48 of them, leaving the remaining 19 seats in the hands of Arab-led parties. Gadi Eisenkot argued that voters delivered a decisive verdict, stating, “No matter how you look at the numbers, a majority of Israeli citizens, by a margin of more than half a million votes, voted against the government of October 7 and draft evasion, and in favor of change.”
President Herzog sets timeline for government formation talks
Israel’s official election results must be certified and presented to President Isaac Herzog by November 4, with the new Knesset scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. Herzog must task one incoming Knesset member with forming a new government by November 11. The designated candidate will then have 28 days to build a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension.
President Herzog urged political leaders to demonstrate flexibility to avoid forcing the country into another election. Talks at the President’s Residence are set to begin on Wednesday. While Herzog has not yet named his choice, the leading candidates are Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot. Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Eisenkot may hold an advantage because Arab-led parties are considering endorsing him to oust Netanyahu.
Arab parties consider recommending Eisenkot for prime minister
A senior Joint List official told Walla that both the Joint List and Ra’am are expected to recommend Eisenkot for prime minister during consultations with President Herzog. Those 19 recommendations, combined with the 48 seats from the opposition bloc, would give Eisenkot 67 total recommendations.
Securing that backing requires bridging deep political divides. Eisenkot, along with fellow opposition leaders Naftali Bennett of B’Yachad and Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu, previously drew a red line against including Arab parties in the government following the October 7 massacre in 2023. However, Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas signaled a willingness to work with the opposition, telling Channel 12 that Eisenkot’s conditions would not pose an obstacle.
Ehud Barak told France 24 that opposition leaders can change their stance, noting that Netanyahu would readily partner with Abbas if the roles were reversed. Yousef Jabareen of the Joint List posted on X that his party is ready for the “ousting of the Netanyahu government” through a “true and equal partnership.” Raluca Ganea, co-founder of the civil society group Zazim, told Al Jazeera that a coalition between the opposition bloc and Arab-led parties representing Palestinian citizens of Israel is “the only path forward for Israeli democracy as a whole.”
Eisenkot outlines conditions and legislative priorities for government
Eisenkot has outlined strict conditions for any government framework, including recognizing Israel as a Jewish, democratic, liberal, and egalitarian state, committing to the Declaration of Independence, enforcing compulsory national service for all citizens in military or civilian frameworks, and treating Hamas as a terrorist organization that must lose its military and governance capabilities. Eisenkot pledged to swiftly advance legislation establishing a state commission of inquiry into the October 7 failures, introduce mandatory service, and repeal controversial judicial overhaul laws.
Netanyahu remains in office as caretaker prime minister while coalition negotiations proceed. If no candidate successfully forms a government within the initial 42 days, Herzog can ask another Knesset member to try for 28 days. If that effort also fails, a 61-MK majority could recommend to the president yet another candidate to try to form a government, with a maximum of 14 days for such an effort. If all options fail, new elections would be called.
Answering key questions about the election timeline and seats
When must Israel’s election results be officially certified?
The final election results must be certified and presented to President Isaac Herzog by November 4, ahead of the Knesset swearing-in ceremony scheduled for November 10.
How many total seats did Arab-led parties win in the Knesset?
Arab-led parties secured 19 seats in total, with the Joint List winning 11 seats and Ra’am winning eight seats.
What happens if the first candidate fails to form a government?
If the first designated candidate fails within the 42-day window, President Herzog can task another Knesset member with a 28-day attempt, followed by a potential third candidate chosen by a majority of Knesset members for 14 days before triggering new elections.
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