Netanyahu bloc loses Knesset majority

Israelis face a period of intense political negotiation after final election results confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s coalition lost its majority. The count released early Friday morning showed the prime minister’s bloc securing 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. The main opposition bloc captured 48 seats, while Arab-led parties won 19 seats, a result described as a historic showing. Any party seeking to form a government now needs to secure at least 61 seats through alliances.

Netanyahu remains in charge as the country’s longest serving prime minister. Centrist politician Yair Lapid told followers on X that the truly hard part begins now, asking voters for patience. The president will assign a candidate to form the government after the results are certified and submitted next Wednesday. That candidate could be Netanyahu, the leader of the largest party, or another figure whom party leaders deem suitable. If coalition attempts fail, Israel will hold new elections early next year. President Isaac Herzog said he will work to prevent a repeat vote.

Tensions rose before the final count was released. Netanyahu and his Likud party spread claims that Arab-led parties stole the election, possibly with foreign help. The opposition accused the prime minister of demonizing the Arab population, which makes up 20% of the country. Many voters cited outrage over Netanyahu’s far-right allies, including national security minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, as a reason for their vote. Ben-Gvir’s party lost seats in the election.

In his first public comment on Friday, Netanyahu posted on X that forming a coalition with Arab parties is forbidden. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, head of the election committee, told the Shin Bet security agency that serious suspicions of foreign interference had been raised. He asked the agency to investigate because he could not verify the claims himself. Israeli media reported that Likud members pointed to Qatar, a nation many Israelis view as a patron of Hamas. Qatar called the allegations ridiculous and dangerous.

Dean Livne, the acting director general of the election commission, said the investigation relied on classified intelligence. He stated that the probe does not affect the final results or concern a specific sector of the population. The Shin Bet said its investigation was not meant to cast aspersions on citizens who voted in a democratic and lawful manner. The committee wrote to a member of parliament that allegations of systematic violations were baseless. It expects findings from the Shin Bet within a week.

The new Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. Eisenkot’s bloc may join forces with Arab parties to elect a new speaker, which would give them control over the parliamentary agenda. This could allow them to pass legislation before a new government is formed. Hundreds of Israelis have rallied urging opposition leaders to partner with Arab-led parties, a move that occurred briefly only once in 2021. If Netanyahu loses office, he will face yearslong corruption allegations and an inquiry into security failures before the October 7, 2023, attack.