Netanyahu’s bloc leads but falls short of Knesset majority, partial count shows

Partial results from Israel’s general election, with 93% of ballots counted, show veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu edging ahead of former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, but neither side reaching a parliamentary majority.

Netanyahu’s Likud party, together with its far‑right and ultra‑Orthodox allies, is projected to win 53 seats in the 120‑seat Knesset. Eisenkot’s Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition parties in his bloc are on track for 48 seats.

Arab‑led parties are on course to claim an unprecedented 19 seats. All but one of the Jewish parties have pledged not to work with them.

Officials have begun counting up to 480,000 absentee ballots from soldiers, diplomats and hospital patients, a pool that could shift the final seat distribution under Israel’s proportional representation system.

Once the full count is certified, President Isaac Herzog will consult with all political factions and invite the leader he deems most likely to form a government, a process that may take weeks. If coalition talks fail, a new election would be required.

Herzog praised the 77.7% turnout in Thursday’s vote, calling it “a badge of honour for Israeli society” and noting the depth of democratic desire in the country. He expects official results next week before beginning his consultations.

The election outcome remains unsettled as absentee votes are tallied and coalition talks loom.