Israel Faces Weeks of Coalition Talks as No Bloc Secures Majority

Voters in Israel will spend the coming weeks watching intense coalition negotiations, as final results show neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition can form a government alone. The Knesset, a 120-seat body, requires 61 seats for a majority. No single camp holds that number, leaving the country in a state of political limbo until a stable alliance is formed.

The election, held on Tuesday, recorded a 77% voter turnout, the highest level since 1999. While Netanyahu’s Likud party received the largest share of the vote, support for his far-right coalition partners declined. This drop pushed his bloc below the threshold needed to govern independently. Gadi Eisenkot, Netanyahu’s main rival, also lacks a majority and requires support from other parties to secure power.

Arab-led parties emerged as a strong force in the voting. Eisenkot has indicated willingness to partner with them if they meet specific conditions, including recognizing Hamas as an extremist group. However, some of his other likely allies have rejected such an alliance. Netanyahu has stated he will not rely on Arab parties to build his cabinet. His leadership is currently asking the elections committee to investigate claims that Arab-led parties stole the election, though Likud has not provided supporting evidence.

The elections committee has also requested that the Shin Bet intelligence service examine allegations of foreign interference. Netanyahu cited this inquiry to argue against cooperation with Arab parties. Opponents of the prime minister accuse him of using these moves to deepen discrimination against Israel’s Arab citizens, who comprise 20% of the population.

The campaign centered heavily on the events of October 7, 2023, when militants killed 1,200 people and abducted 251 others. Voters focused on security failures rather than the humanitarian situation in Gaza. Netanyahu rejected a formal commission of inquiry into that day, while some of his opponents promised to establish one if they take power. He argued that he led the country through the subsequent wars in Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.

A secondary point of division involved military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox population. Netanyahu’s coalition has supported these exemptions for years. Eisenkot, who lost a son in combat in Gaza, vowed to end them. Israel’s president will soon task a leader with forming a government. If multiple attempts fail, the country may return to the polls early next year.