Introduction
Israel’s October 27, 2026, general election has produced no clear majority in the 120-member Knesset. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc nor the opposition grouping led by Gadi Eisenkot has secured the 61 seats required to form a government. The results have also placed the Arab-led electoral lists, which together won 19 seats, at the centre of coalition negotiations. However, major political figures have ruled out working with them, complicating efforts to form an alternative government.
What were the election results?
The Central Elections Committee published the final results on Friday, October 30, after counting the remaining votes, including at least 500,000 “double envelope” ballots cast by soldiers and diplomats.
Voter turnout stood at 77.9 per cent.
The final seat distribution among the main political groupings was:
- Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc: 53 seats
- Opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot: 48 seats
- United Arab List (Ra’am) and Joint List: 19 seats combined
A government needs the support of at least 61 members of the Knesset. Since neither major bloc has reached that threshold, both must explore possible alliances or seek support from parties outside their existing groupings.
Israel has historically been governed through coalitions because no single party has won an outright majority.
What happens after an inconclusive election?
Following the final results, political consultations begin to determine which candidate has the best chance of forming a government. If the coalition-building process does not produce an agreement, President Isaac Herzog can choose a candidate and ask them to form a government. That candidate is generally given 28 days, with the possibility of an extension. If the first candidate fails, the president can assign the task to another candidate. Should that attempt also fail, a further 21-day period opens. During this period, 61 members of the Knesset can ask the president to assign the task to a member of parliament.
If none of these routes succeeds, Israel could hold another election.
Why are Arab-led parties central to the negotiations?
The United Arab List, known as Ra’am, and the Joint List together won 19 seats. Their support could potentially help the opposition grouping reach the numbers needed to form a government. Both parties have indicated an interest in working with anti-Netanyahu factions. However, their participation remains politically contentious. Netanyahu has rejected cooperation with Arab-led parties. On Friday, he wrote on X that forming a government with them was forbidden. His Likud party also accused the Arab-led lists of “stealing” the election after his coalition lost its majority. Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot has not clearly stated whether he would work with them. According to a report cited by Al Jazeera, he has said that he would consider partnering only with parties that recognise Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, endorse the values of its Declaration of Independence and support national service for all Israelis. He has not clarified whether the Arab-led parties would satisfy those conditions. Avigdor Lieberman, leader of the right-wing Yisrael Beytenu party, has also ruled out certain coalition arrangements, declaring: “Neither Bibi nor Tibi.”
What are the possible ways Arab parties could support a government?
Analysts cited by Al Jazeera have outlined three broad possibilities if Eisenkot decides to seek cooperation with the Arab-led parties.
1. Joining the government
Arab-led parties could become formal members of the governing coalition and participate in the government. Ra’am has expressed interest in this arrangement, while the Joint List has said it does not want to join the government at this stage.
2. Supporting the coalition without holding government posts
The parties could become coalition partners without receiving ministerial positions or other seats in the government. The article points to Ra’am’s participation in the Bennett government from 2021 to 2022 as an example of this arrangement.
3. Supporting a minority government from outside
Arab-led parties could support an opposition-led minority government without formally joining the coalition. Their support could help the government survive confidence votes and prevent it from being brought down. The Joint List has left open the possibility of such an arrangement, provided it secures meaningful commitments on equality, violent crime in Palestinian communities, home demolitions and the broader Palestinian question. Analysts have suggested that a government including Ra’am in the coalition and relying on the Joint List’s support from outside could be one possible arrangement. However, no agreement has been reached.
Why is cooperation difficult?
The main obstacle is political opposition to relying on Arab-led parties, even though their seats could be decisive. Political analyst Ahmed Najar argued that Palestinian citizens of Israel had demonstrated greater willingness to negotiate than Eisenkot and several of his allies. He described the situation as a contradiction: Palestinian citizens participate in elections and elect representatives, but those representatives face resistance when their votes could influence the formation of a government. Another analyst, Roi Zur, said the numbers did not currently add up for either major bloc. He noted that even if Eisenkot sought Arab-party support in exchange for investment in their communities, the arrangement could face opposition from Lieberman.
What options does Netanyahu have?
Despite losing his bloc’s majority, Netanyahu still has possible routes to remain in power. One option is to persuade parties from the opposition’s broader grouping to join his government. Analysts have identified Naftali Bennett and Avigdor Lieberman as possible targets, although the article says neither appears likely to join him at present. Another possibility is to seek a coalition arrangement with Eisenkot and other opposition figures. Chatham House analyst Yossi Mekelberg said Netanyahu could attempt this while simultaneously challenging the legitimacy of Arab-led parties to make an alternative coalition more difficult. Netanyahu could also benefit if coalition negotiations fail and another election is called. Analyst Nimrod Flaschenberg suggested that Netanyahu may believe a fresh election could reduce Arab voter turnout and weaken the opposition, potentially allowing his bloc to reach the 61-seat threshold.
Is another election inevitable?
No. A second election is possible, but it is not yet inevitable. Political negotiations and the presidential process offer several opportunities to form a government. The outcome will depend on whether parties are willing to compromise, whether Arab-led parties are accepted as political partners and whether either major bloc can attract enough additional support. If these efforts fail, Israelis will have to return to the polls.
What does the deadlock mean for Palestinians?
For Palestinian citizens of Israel, the election has produced both greater parliamentary representation and uncertainty over whether that representation will translate into political influence. Their combined 19 seats could become decisive in determining who governs. Yet major political figures have resisted relying on their support. For Palestinians in Gaza, the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, the election is not necessarily a choice between fundamentally different approaches to the occupation and Palestinian rights.The Palestinian analyst Ahmed Najar said Palestinians would judge any successor government by its policies, including whether it ends the war in Gaza, halts settlement expansion and settler violence, and recognises Palestinian freedom and self-determination.
Conclusion
Israel’s election deadlock is not simply a contest between Netanyahu and Eisenkot. It is also a test of whether the country’s political parties can form a governing majority while deciding what role, if any, Arab-led parties will have in that arrangement. With Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats, the opposition at 48 and the Arab-led lists holding 19, coalition arithmetic leaves several possibilities open. But political resistance to cooperation, particularly with Arab representatives, makes the path to a stable government uncertain. Until negotiations produce a majority, Israel faces the possibility of another election.