Netanyahu’s bloc falls short of majority in Israel election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc led the parliamentary election count with 54 seats, while the opposition bloc secured 49 seats, leaving both sides short of the majority needed to form a government, according to preliminary results reported by Israeli media.

With around 70 per cent of votes counted, Netanyahu’s Likud party held 27 seats, while the opposition’s Yashar party, led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured 22 seats. Parties representing Arab Israelis were projected to win 19 seats, potentially playing a decisive role in coalition negotiations.

The 120-member Knesset requires at least 61 seats for a parliamentary majority. With neither bloc reaching that threshold, coalition talks are expected to be difficult as political leaders seek to secure the support needed to form the next government.

Netanyahu called for a strong right-wing government, while Eisenkot argued that voters had rejected the longtime prime minister’s leadership. Vote counting was continuing, and the preliminary figures could change.