Two days after Israelis went to the polls, the ballots were still being tallied, and a nation that had asked its people to choose a direction found itself waiting. With nearly all votes counted, neither Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot's stands within reach of the 61 seats that govern the Knesset, and the arithmetic quietly turns toward the Arab parties, whom both leaders have publicly refused. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has accused the vote of being stolen without offering proof, a claim that echoes the old human temptation to blame the count when the outcome resists us.
Israel Election Count Shows Likely Deadlock as Netanyahu Alleges Fraud Without Evidence
Neither bloc has an obvious path to 61 seats.
Mark
Let's start simple. Why is a 53 to 48 lead not a win for Netanyahu?
Mimi
Because the Knesset needs 61 seats for a majority. Netanyahu's bloc is projected at 53, Eisenkot's at 48. Neither gets close on its own.
Mark
So who holds the balance?
Mimi
The Arab parties, projected at 19 seats. Both leaders have ruled out working with them, which is what makes this a real deadlock.
Luke
I'd flag that those are projections at about 94% counted, and the committee says they can change. Final results aren't due until Nov. 4.
Mark
The Joint List sounds eager to work with the opposition.
Mimi
It said it's ready for cooperation to oust Netanyahu's government. Mansour Abbas of Ra'am, projected at seven seats, said he has talked with both sides.
Luke
Talking is not agreeing, though. And Eisenkot has ruled out a coalition with Arab parties, so a statement of willingness from one side isn't a deal.
Mark
And the fraud claim?
Mimi
Netanyahu said the election was stolen by Arab parties and that Likud had evidence. Likud also alleged foreign financial support for them.
Luke
Neither claim came with evidence. The election committee's acting chief said there is no basis for theft allegations. Whether Likud's submissions to authorities contain anything is unknown. Police say they'd look at credible allegations, which is not the same as saying they've found any.
El Pulso
- Neither major bloc is anywhere near the 61 seats needed to govern, leaving Israel suspended between two unfinished majorities.
- Netanyahu's claim that Arab parties stole the election, made without evidence, has thrown the counting process itself into question.
- Election officials and opposition leaders have rejected the fraud allegation, with police pledging to examine any credible complaint.
- The Joint List and Ra'am are positioning themselves as possible kingmakers, even as both main leaders refuse them.
- Final results are not due until November 4, and every remaining ballot now carries outsized weight.
Two days after Israelis went to the polls, the ballots were still being tallied, and a nation that had asked its people to choose a direction found itself waiting. With nearly all votes counted, neither Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot's stands within reach of the 61 seats that govern the Knesset, and the arithmetic quietly turns toward the Arab parties, whom both leaders have publicly refused. Netanyahu, meanwhile, has accused the vote of being stolen without offering proof, a claim that echoes the old human temptation to blame the count when the outcome resists us.
By Thursday morning, Israel was still counting. Two days after voters went to the polls, the Central Election Committee had nearly every ballot tallied, yet the country still had no clear answer about who would govern. The numbers pointed nowhere decisive. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud stood at 26 seats, and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party at 21, but their blocs sat at 53 and 48, well short of the 61 needed in the Knesset.
The arithmetic kept pulling attention toward the Arab parties, projected to win 19 seats. Both leaders had ruled them out, and Netanyahu warned that such a government would "endanger Israel." The Arab parties answered in kind. The Joint List pledged cooperation to oust Netanyahu, and Mansour Abbas of Ra'am said he had been in contact with both camps.
As the count continued, Netanyahu claimed the election had been "stolen by Arab parties" and said Likud had submitted proof of fraud, though none was shown. His party also alleged foreign financial interference. Opposition leaders, election officials and police responded quickly, rejecting the claims and promising scrutiny of any credible complaint. Eisenkot spoke of carrying out the will of the voter.
For now, everything waits on the final tally on November 4, on whether the Arab parties shape the talks despite the leaders' refusals, and on whether the fraud claims survive examination.
By Thursday morning, two days after Israelis voted, election officials were still counting ballots, and the country still did not know who would govern it. With nearly 94% of votes tallied, Israel's Central Election Committee had numbers on the board but no clear path to a majority for either side.
The partial results, which could still shift as the remaining votes are counted, put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party at 26 seats. His main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, and his Yashar party were at 21. Projections for the blocs were close: Netanyahu's coalition at 53 seats, Eisenkot's at 48. A majority in the Knesset takes 61, and neither bloc is on course to reach it. The committee said the last stage of counting should finish Thursday afternoon or evening local time, but final results will not be published until Nov. 4.
The arithmetic points toward the Arab parties, which the committee projected would win 19 seats. If the projections hold, either coalition may need their backing to have any chance at a majority. Both leaders have previously ruled out forming a coalition with them. In his post-election speech, Netanyahu suggested that a government including Arab parties would "endanger Israel."
The Arab parties have signaled where they lean. The Joint List, an alliance of three parties that was on course for 12 seats as of Wednesday, said it was ready for "political cooperation to oust the Netanyahu government." It said it would work with all its strength to end his rule and to back an alternative government committed to changing what it called the current government's racist policy. Mansour Abbas, leader of the United Arab List, also known as Ra'am, which was projected to win seven seats, said he had been in touch with representatives of both the Netanyahu and Eisenkot coalitions.
As counting continued on Wednesday, Netanyahu alleged that the election had been "stolen by Arab parties." He offered no evidence, saying Likud had gathered proof of fraud and submitted it to electoral, law enforcement and security bodies. Likud also issued a statement claiming that "foreign entities" had interfered by financially supporting Arab parties. It did not immediately provide evidence for that claim either.
The response was swift. Opposition leaders condemned the remarks and maintained that the election was free and fair, with no evidence of fraud. Israeli police said they would investigate any credible allegations of wrongdoing. Dean Livne, the acting director general of the Central Election Committee, said there was "no basis for allegations of election theft," according to Israel's Kan radio.
Eisenkot, for his part, said Wednesday night that he had spent a long day of meetings, conversations and preparations to carry out "the will of the voter." In a post on X, he said his side was focused on the heavy task entrusted to it: bringing change to Israel.
What to watch now is the final count on Nov. 4, whether the Joint List and Ra'am end up shaping coalition talks despite the refusals of both major leaders, and whether any fraud complaint Likud says it has filed turns out to be credible enough to investigate.
Citas Notables
There is no basis for allegations of election theft.— Dean Livne, acting director general of Israel's Central Election Committee
We are ready for political cooperation to oust the Netanyahu government.— Joint List statement
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Politics & Governance