How can Israel break its election deadlock?

What the report says

Israel’s latest election has again produced a hung parliament, leaving no party with the 61 seats needed in the 120-member Knesset to form a government. Al Jazeera reported that the final results from the October 27 vote showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc winning 53 seats, while an opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot took 48. The United Arab List and the Joint List, which represent Palestinian citizens of Israel, won a combined 19 seats. Turnout was high at 77.9 percent.

With no clear winner, coalition talks are under way and several paths remain open. Under Israel’s system, the president can task a candidate with forming a government, and that person then has a limited period to gather support. If those efforts fail, a second election is possible. Al Jazeera noted that Arab-led parties could become relevant to the math, either through direct coalition participation or outside support, but major Israeli figures have so far rejected working with them.

The report highlights how coalition arithmetic intersects with long-running political tensions over the role of Palestinian citizens of Israel in government. Netanyahu has opposed alliances with Arab parties, while some analysts said Eisenkot could still seek their backing if his bloc cannot reach a majority on its own. The deadlock matters because it could delay government formation and force another round of voting if negotiations fail.