Jerusalem [Israel], October 30 (ANI): The Central Elections Committee of Israel on Friday published the final results of the national election, confirming the distribution of seats in the 26th Knesset, which is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. The pro-Netanyahu bloc secured 53 seats, falling short of the majority required to form a government.
According to The Times of Israel, the Likud party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, emerged as the largest party with 27 seats, followed by Yashar with 21 seats.
B’Yachad secured 12 seats, while the Joint List won 11. The Democrats and Ra’am secured eight seats each, while Yisrael Beytenu, United Torah Judaism and Otzma Yehudit won seven seats each. Shas and Religious Zionism secured six seats apiece.
The final results leave the pro-Netanyahu bloc with 53 seats, the anti-Netanyahu bloc with 48 seats and the Arab factions with 19 seats, according to The Times of Israel.
The final voter turnout stood at 77.9 per cent of eligible voters, with 5,716,665 votes cast.
The Reservists, which secured 2.7 per cent of the vote, People of Israel with 1.7 per cent and Charedi Public with 0.2 per cent failed to cross the 3.25 per cent electoral threshold.
The final official results will be submitted to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on November 4, following examinations of possible errors or inquiries. The newly elected Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, leader of the Religious Zionism-Zehut party, reportedly met to coordinate their efforts following the election, according to Hebrew media reports cited by The Times of Israel.
Separately, Argentine President Javier Milei congratulated Netanyahu on what he called the “great victory” of the Likud party in the election.
In a post on X, Milei said that Likud “has once again become the leading force in Israel”.
“Once more, you have demonstrated the strength of your leadership, even in the face of polls and predictions against you. Argentina and Israel will continue to be strategic allies against those who challenge our Western values,” Milei said.
While Likud emerged as the largest party in the election, the coalition bloc supporting Netanyahu failed to secure a majority in the Knesset.
Addressing the next steps, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to consult party representatives following the formal publication of the final results before nominating the candidate deemed to have the strongest prospects of forming a government. Should that designated leader fail, an alternative figure may receive the mandate, while an inability to complete the process within the mandated timeframe could ultimately precipitate fresh elections.
This comes as the establishment of a minority government led by Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot, with outside support from Arab parties, is considered unlikely or impossible by Ra’am party leader Mansour Abbas, according to Channel 12 News, as cited by The Times of Israel.
Abbas expressed this view during a meeting with party members.
This comes after the Jewish-led bloc opposed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to secure a majority on its own in the election.
Only The Democrats have expressed openness to including Arab-majority parties, as reported by The Times of Israel.
Exploring potential configurations, a unity government encompassing Likud alongside opposition factions such as Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar, Naftali Bennett’s Together movement and Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beytenu could theoretically command 66 seats.
Nevertheless, such an arrangement appears unlikely at present, given the opposition’s campaign pledge to remove Netanyahu from power and his dependence on far-right and ultra-Orthodox allies. Alternatively, the combined tally held by Arab parties could prove decisive should Eisenkot’s bloc attempt to establish a minority administration supported from outside the governing coalition, reinforcing Abbas’s earlier scepticism.
Amid these ongoing political manoeuvres, the final vote count has unfolded amid intense controversy surrounding allegations of election interference and voter fraud. CEC chairman Noam Sohlberg formally requested Shin Bet chief David Zini to investigate suspicions that foreign entities may have sought to influence voting patterns within the Arab sector.
However, the committee maintained that there was no empirical basis to support claims of systematic compromise to the integrity of the ballot. (ANI)
