Breaking
With 84.5% of votes counted in Israel’s 26th Knesset elections, neither major political bloc has secured the 61 seats needed to form a government. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc is on track to win 54 seats, while the opposition ‘change bloc’ led by Benny Eisenkot has 51 seats, with Arab parties holding 17 seats according to partial results reported by Times of Israel and Walla.
Joint List chairman indicated he is prepared to ‘pave the way’ for a potential coalition with the opposition to unseat Netanyahu, suggesting the Arab parties could be pivotal in government formation negotiations. With vote counting still ongoing, the final seat distribution remains uncertain, with minor shifts possible as remaining ballots are processed.
US President Donald Trump claimed credit for Netanyahu’s electoral performance following his recent endorsement of the Prime Minister, asserting that ‘the whole tide turned’ after his backing. Trump described Netanyahu’s results as a ‘big come-from-behind’ victory, though neither bloc has achieved a governing majority at this stage of counting.
Sources: Times of Israel, Walla
