No clear winner in Israel election with nearly 90 percent of votes counted

What the report says

Israel’s election remained undecided on Wednesday as nearly 90 percent of the votes were counted, according to Al Jazeera and Anadolu. The tally showed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc ahead but still short of the 61 seats needed to form a majority in the 120-member Knesset. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot was also below the threshold, leaving no clear path to a government yet.

The Israeli Central Elections Committee said more than five million votes had been counted by the evening local time. Current projections put Netanyahu’s bloc at 53 seats and the opposition at 48, while Arab parties could end up with a record combined total of 19 seats. More than 500,000 special ballots, including votes from soldiers, diplomats and others away from their home polling stations, were still to be counted, so the final balance could change.

The vote was widely viewed as a test of Netanyahu’s leadership, coming after the October 7, 2023 attacks and the war in Gaza. Netanyahu will remain caretaker prime minister until a new coalition is formed. President Isaac Herzog is expected to begin consultations with party leaders after the official results are released. In Israeli politics, coalition negotiations are routine, and analysts cited by the report said a unity arrangement could still be possible, though not assured.

The report also noted sharp rhetoric from Likud, which accused Arab parties of election theft, while the Joint List said Arab turnout helped keep Netanyahu short of a majority and signaled it could support an anti-Netanyahu government from outside.