Israeli Election Remains in Deadlock as Vote Counting Nears Completion

JERUSALEM — Israel faces continued political uncertainty following its national election, with almost 90 percent of ballots tallied and neither major political faction securing the 61-seat threshold required to form a governing majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

According to figures released by Israel’s Central Elections Committee, over five million votes had been processed by Wednesday evening. Current projections place the right-wing bloc aligned with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at 53 seats, while the opposition camp headed by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot stands at 48 seats.

Meanwhile, Arab-led factions—the Joint List and Ra’am—are projected to take a combined 19 seats amid elevated voter turnout.

Outstanding Ballots and Next Steps

The final parliamentary seat distribution hinges on more than 500,000 “double-envelope” ballots, which undergo additional verification. These ballots represent votes submitted outside regular home polling stations, including those cast by active military personnel, overseas diplomats, hospital staff, and hospitalized patients. Official final totals are anticipated by Thursday evening.

Netanyahu continues to serve as caretaker prime minister while coalition negotiations unfold. President Isaac Herzog is slated to launch formal consultations with elected party leaders early next week once certified results are submitted. In public remarks, Herzog urged party leadership to seek resolution and prevent further political paralysis, though coalition formation in Israel typically involves protracted horse-trading.

Coalition Calculations and Public Statements

Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot previously dismissed the idea of forming a minority cabinet reliant on Arab parties. While some political observers suggest Netanyahu might attempt to negotiate a broad national unity pact with Eisenkot, substantial ideological and political divisions make that path difficult.

Following the preliminary count, Eisenkot stated via social media that his alliance would work to establish a broad Zionist administration, arguing that voters had registered clear discontent with the sitting government.

In response to the surge in Arab participation, Netanyahu’s Likud party released statements alleging voting irregularities and voter-roll manipulation in several Arab communities, adding that it was submitting material to law enforcement and electoral officials.

The Joint List rejected Likud’s allegations, maintaining that high turnout among Arab voters served as a direct democratic repudiation of the current coalition’s military and domestic policies. Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen stated that while the alliance is open to providing outside legislative support to unseat Netanyahu, it does not intend to formally enter a governing cabinet.