Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc maintains a narrow lead over the opposing camp, with Gadi Eizenkot as its main political rival, according to the results so far from Israel’s parliamentary elections, though neither side has secured a majority.
With 57.3% of polling stations counted as of 7:58 a.m., the partial results published by the Central Election Commission show 55 seats for the bloc of parties supporting Netanyahu and 49 seats for the bloc of parties opposing him.
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At the same time, the Arab parties have secured 16 seats and are emerging as potential kingmakers in the post-election developments, as neither camp has reached the 61 seats required to form a government on its own.
The parties currently below the 3.25% electoral threshold are the Reservists (2.6%), the People of Israel (1.7%), and the Ultra-Orthodox Community (0.2%).
The results are still partial and are expected to change as the count continues. Votes cast in double envelopes, including those from soldiers, will be counted later.
Difficult Negotiations to Form a Government
Based on the data so far, Israel faces the possibility of a political deadlock, as both rival coalitions fall short of the required parliamentary majority.
Despite the absence of a clear winner, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have stated they are ready to form a government, while attention is now turning to the negotiations to form a government, which are expected to be particularly difficult.
“A strong right-wing government” must be formed, Mr. Netanyahu emphasized, calling on the “Jewish and Zionist majority” to “unite” and make a fresh start.
After choosing to remain silent for several hours following the closing of the polling stations at 10:00 p.m. (local time and Greek time), he finally appeared, smiling and exuding confidence, before his supporters around 3:00 a.m. to deliver an unusually brief speech.
It remains unclear who will be Israel’s next prime minister, as the vote count continues.
Exit polls initially showed the opposition alliance led by centrist Gadi Eizenkot narrowly ahead of Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc, but later polls were reported showing the two sides tied, with 51 seats in the Knesset each.
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In other words, they are far from the necessary number of seats (61 out of the 120 seats in the Israeli Knesset) needed to secure a majority and thus the ability to form a government.
Despite the extremely close result, Gadi Eizenkot saw the initial estimates as a “complete rejection” of Benjamin Netanyahu. “The people have chosen change,” he assured his own supporters, promising to “do everything possible to form a government” and rejecting the idea of another election.
The 77-year-old prime minister, for his part, did not say a word about his opponent in his own speech. He avoided claiming victory, limiting himself to emphasizing that his party, Likud (right), remains the largest party in parliament, as it is projected to win 27 seats in the legislature—down from 32 in the outgoing parliament—ahead of Mr. Eisenkot’s Yasar party.
Voter turnout among Israelis was massive in this election, the first since the attack on October 7, 2023. Voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999.
Unprecedented rise of Arab parties
The other significant development of the evening was the spectacular rise in the strength of the two Arab “lists” (parties). Ram (moderate Islamists) and the United Arab List (radical left) are now emerging as potential kingmakers in political developments, as they are expected to hold 18 to 19 seats in the new legislature (compared to 10 in the outgoing parliament).
Benjamin Netanyahu’s political camp suffered a “major defeat,” according to Ram leader Mansour Abbas, stating that he is ready to cooperate with Gadi Eizenkot—though the latter always says he is not considering such a move.
“There is no way a government backed by Arab parties will be formed,” Prime Minister Netanyahu retorted, having focused much of his campaign on attacking them, for example with the slogan “Either the right, or Palestine.”
The situation that is unfolding, at least for now, appears to be heading toward a dead end, according to Ilana Spaitzman, a political science expert and conference organizer at Bar-Ilan University.
“Netanyahu has no way to form a government,” while Mr. Eisenkot’s coalition will need to “either form a government together with the Arab parties or form a minority government,” two options that the opposition has so far rejected, he explained.
The parties will now engage in negotiations over the coming weeks to find a way to form the next government.
In the event of failure—a common occurrence in Israel’s recent history—a new election will be necessary—something Mr. Eisenkot rejects.
“To form a government, the rules and established norms will have to be broken, and unprecedented alliances will have to be forged,” says Yaeli Lifshitz, a student who went to celebrate Gandi Eisenkot’s success at his party’s headquarters in Tel Aviv, where the first estimates of the results sparked an outburst from the crowd, who cheered and chanted, “Bibi, go home!” The nickname “Bibi” is associated with Prime Minister Netanyahu.
“Eliminating the threat” from Iran
The election commission was expected to begin gradually releasing the official results overnight. The process may take a few days.
Mr. Netanyahu, who has ramped up his alarmist rhetoric in recent days, once again highlighted the threat from Iran in his speech.
“Israel has a historic, unique opportunity, together with our partner President Trump, to permanently eliminate the existential threat posed by Iran,” he emphasized.
A few hours earlier, Mr. Eisenkot had warned him: “Don’t even think about using Israel’s security for political purposes.”
While Israeli media have reported in recent weeks on disagreements between top military officials and the prime minister, the centrist candidate addressed the security forces: “Benjamin Netanyahu has neither the mandate nor the trust of the people. Remember that you serve only the state and the interests of Israeli citizens,” emphasized the former chief of the General Staff of the National Defense.
The picture emerging from the election results so far reflects the polarization in the country, which intensified after the attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war in the Gaza Strip.
The elections took place against a backdrop of mounting international criticism regarding the conduct of the war in the Gaza Strip, settler violence, and the expansion of Israeli settlements in the West Bank during the tenure of the most right-wing government in Israel’s history.
“I want change,” said Asia Ekbaria, a 23-year-old law student, after voting in Umm al-Fahm, a city with a predominantly Arab population in the northern part of the country. “I don’t want to be treated like a second- or third-class citizen. I want to live in peace and tranquility.”
Source: Protothema.gr
