Netanyahu bloc edges ahead in Israel count, but neither side has a majority
With 70% of votes counted, both main blocs appeared short of the 61 seats needed to govern. Arab-led parties could become pivotal as absentee ballots remain outstanding.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc edged ahead of rival Gadi Eisenkot’s as Israel counted votes on 28 October, but neither appeared to have the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, The Guardian reported with 70% counted. The result leaves the route to a government dependent on the remaining ballots and the choices of parties outside the two main blocs.
The shift reversed initial exit-poll projections of a narrow lead for Eisenkot’s bloc. Votes from deployed soldiers and other absentee ballots had yet to be counted, and the BBC cautioned that the early count was skewed towards areas with strong right-wing support. Final seat totals could therefore still change.
Why Arab-led parties could decide the coalition
The Guardian projected 16 to 19 seats for Arab Israeli parties, enough to make their support potentially decisive if both larger blocs remain below a majority. The BBC likewise reported that Arab-led parties could hold the balance of power if other parties were prepared to work with them. Arab Israelis, who make up about one-fifth of Israel’s population, appeared to turn out in unprecedented numbers, the BBC reported.
That potential path faces political resistance. Eisenkot declared victory overnight and spoke of a ‘Zionist majority’, appearing to rule out a broad coalition with Palestinian parties, according to The Guardian. The BBC reported that most Jewish opposition parties had pledged during the campaign not to work with Arab-majority lists, citing a lack of shared values. Without such an agreement, The Guardian said, Eisenkot and his allies could face a new election or a unity government that gives Netanyahu another route to power.
What happens after the remaining votes are counted
The election drew turnout above 77%, according to the BBC. Its account said the outstanding absentee ballots, mostly representing soldiers’ votes, could delay a clear picture of the final result by another day or two. That makes the apparent lead in the partial count a guide to the contest, rather than a settled allocation of seats.
Once final results are presented to President Isaac Herzog next week, he is expected to consult the leaders of elected parties and ask the candidate who appears most likely to assemble a coalition to try, the BBC reported. If that candidate cannot secure a majority within a maximum of six weeks, another candidate could be given the opportunity. The earlier NewsJaws report covered the initial exit polls; the subsequent count has put Netanyahu’s bloc ahead while leaving both sides short.
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Sources and context
- Coalition talks loom in Israel as Netanyahu and Eisenkot blocs set to fall short of majorityThe Guardian
- Netanyahu and Eisenkot face difficult paths to power as neither set to win majorityBBC News
AI-assisted article checked against the listed sources. NewsJaws did not conduct interviews or attend the reported events.