Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition wins 53 seats in Israel’s 120-member parliament, leaving it short of the 61 seats required to form a government.
JERUSALEM, ISRAEL — WEB DESK: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political bloc has finished ahead of the opposition in the country’s general election but failed to secure a parliamentary majority, according to final results released on Friday, October 30, 2026.
Netanyahu’s coalition of right-wing and far-right parties secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the opposition bloc led by centrist politician Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats.
The results leave both major political camps short of the 61 seats required to form a government, setting the stage for difficult coalition negotiations and raising the possibility of another election if political parties fail to reach an agreement.
Netanyahu’s Likud Remains Largest Party
Netanyahu’s Likud party emerged as the largest individual political faction, securing 27 seats in the parliamentary election.
Despite finishing ahead of the opposition, the wider Netanyahu-aligned bloc suffered a setback by failing to retain a governing majority.
The opposition camp, led by Gadi Eisenkot, secured 48 seats, leaving it dependent on support from other parliamentary groups if it hopes to form an alternative government.
Arab Parties Emerge as Potential Kingmakers
Arab political groupings Ra’am and the Joint List secured a combined 19 seats, making them potentially influential in the upcoming government formation process.
Yousef Jabareen, head of the Joint List, indicated that his party was willing to cooperate with the opposition to remove Netanyahu from power but did not intend to join an opposition-led government.
Their parliamentary strength could become significant during negotiations, although cooperation between the opposition and Arab parties faces political obstacles.
Election Fraud Allegations Trigger Political Dispute
The final results were accompanied by controversy after Netanyahu’s Likud party raised allegations that Arab-Israeli political groups had received foreign funding to influence the election.
Likud described the claims as a major election scandal and called for investigations.
Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas rejected allegations of wrongdoing and welcomed an investigation. The Joint List accused Netanyahu and his allies of using the allegations to undermine Arab voters’ political participation.
Qatar also rejected the accusations.
Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security service confirmed that it was investigating suspected irregularities but said the investigation should not cast suspicion on an entire community that had participated in the election.
The Central Elections Committee also rejected suggestions of widespread electoral problems, describing such claims as groundless. No evidence supporting the broader allegations had been publicly presented in the reports reviewed.
Difficult Coalition Negotiations Ahead
With neither major bloc securing the required 61 seats, political parties face negotiations to assemble a governing majority.
Netanyahu’s camp could seek support from additional parliamentary groups, while the opposition may explore cooperation with Arab-led parties.
However, disagreements over cooperation with Arab political factions could complicate efforts to establish an alternative government.
If negotiations fail, Israel could face another general election.
