Israel election latest update: Who will form the next government as Netanyahu and Eisenkot fall behind? | Today’s news
Israel Elections 2026: Almost All Parties May Face Disappointment! With almost 90 percent of the votes counted by Wednesday evening, neither Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot appear to have enough seats to form a government on their own.
Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition is expected to fall short of a majority in the 120-member Knesset, while Eisenkot also faces a struggle to win enough support to replace him.
Read also | Israeli voters deny Benjamin Netanyahu a majority
The final results of Israel’s election are expected Thursday night, but it could take weeks of talks before Israel knows who will lead its next government.
Latest Israeli election results: How many seats did Netanyahu and Eisenkot win?
Quick answers to key questions
•5 QUESTIONS
A majority in the 120-member Knesset requires 61 seats. According to early results, Netanyahu’s bloc has about 53-54 seats and Eisenkot’s about 49, so both would need the support of other parties.
No. Likud is expected to be the largest party, but its leader will not automatically become prime minister. The key is to ensure sufficient support from the Knesset to form a government.
Yes. Their seats could be key, as none of the main blocs seem to have a majority. The joint list said it wanted to remove Netanyahu, but Eisenkot also opposed working with Arab parties.
After the final results, President Isaac Herzog consults with party representatives and gives one political leader the first chance to form a government. This leader must negotiate with other parties to secure sufficient support in the Knesset.
The parties could continue to negotiate, but the talks could end in stalemate. If they cannot agree on a government, Israel could hold another election.
Early results suggest Netanyahu’s coalition could win around 54 seats, down from the 64 it secured in the 2022 elections. Eisenkot’s bloc is expected to win around 49 seats, while the two Arab parties could together secure up to 19. Some estimates put Netanyahu’s coalition at 53 seats.
The numbers may change after the remaining votes are counted.
Netanyahu’s Likud party remains the largest independent party with an estimated 26 seats. However, this was not enough to keep his wider coalition on track for a majority.
The record Arab turnout surprised Israeli pollsters
Arab citizens of Israel voted in record numbers, which pre-election polls failed to predict. The polls also underestimated how many votes Likud would get from supporters who might otherwise support Netanyahu’s right-wing and ultra-Orthodox allies.
Joint List, an alliance of Arab parties, could now play an important role in deciding who will form the next government. She said she would “do everything in her power” to remove Netanyahu from office.
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The statement leaves open the possibility that the alliance could support Eisenkot’s efforts to replace Netanyahu. However, most Jewish parties were reluctant to cooperate with Arab parties, and their lawmakers were not invited to join the opposition-led government.
Why Eisenkot is trying to challenge Netanyahu
Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, went into the election with two clear goals. He wanted the Jewish opposition parties to win enough seats to form a government, or close to it. He also wanted his party Yashar to get more votes than any other party.
Early results suggest he fell short on both counts.
Eisenkot’s next step will not be easy.
Eisenkot said Netanyahu is unfit to lead Israel, but also opposes cooperation with Arab parties. On Wednesday, he said he wanted a government that would be Zionist and at the same time commit to universal conscription.
This position leaves him with fewer options. Cooperation with Arab parties would be contrary to his stated position, while bringing ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties into government would also be difficult given his stance on military service.
Could a unity government help Netanyahu stay in power?
One option discussed by Netanyahu’s allies is a broad government including Netanyahu, Eisenkot and other centrist leaders. Such an arrangement could allow Netanyahu to remain prime minister despite losses to his coalition.
Read also | Israel Elections 2026: Can Netanyahu Lose Polls But Stay In Power? Explained
Netanyahu has weathered political setbacks in a career spanning more than three decades, and the latest results do not mark the end of his time in office. Although his opponents have the ability to replace him, they must first find a way to work together and secure enough support in parliament.
What will happen next in the Israeli elections?
Once the final results are announced, President Isaac Herzog will decide which political leader will get the first chance to form a government.
The chosen leader will then have to negotiate with other Israeli parties to secure sufficient support in the Knesset. These conversations can take weeks and are not guaranteed to be successful.
Read also | Who is Gadi Eisenkot? A man challenges Netanyahu’s power in Israel
The Knesset is scheduled to open on November 10. Even if a new government is not formed by then, Netanyahu’s opponents could gain more influence in parliament’s proceedings.
If the parties do not reach an agreement, Israel could face another election.
