The political bloc led by outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is ahead in the country’s latest preliminary election results, while Arab parties have secured a record number of parliamentary seats, according to figures reported by The Times of Israel on Wednesday afternoon.
With 85.6% of the overall vote counted, Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win 53 seats, compared with 48 for the alliance led by Gadi Eisenkot. Arab parties have secured a combined 19 seats, marking a historic high.
A majority in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset requires at least 61 seats. Based on the provisional distribution, neither of the two main political blocs has secured enough seats on its own to form a government.
Arab parties make significant gains
The increased parliamentary representation of Arab parties is one of the most significant developments in the election, giving their seats particular importance in the negotiations and political calculations that will follow.
However, the formation of a parliamentary majority remains uncertain, as the distribution of seats does not automatically translate into political agreements between parties.
The final outcome will depend on the confirmed results and the willingness of political forces to reach agreements over the composition of the next government.
Hundreds of thousands of votes remain uncounted
The Central Elections Committee said approximately 93% of regular ballots had been counted, representing 85.6% of the overall result.
The remaining 7% of regular ballots requires additional verification, while approximately 600,000 special-category votes are also outstanding. These include ballots cast by military personnel and other groups of eligible voters.
According to the committee, these votes are expected to be incorporated into the results over the coming days.
The allocation of seats therefore remains provisional and could change as the counting process continues.
Government formation remains uncertain
Voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest level in more than two decades, according to Reuters.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have expressed their intention to seek to form the next government, despite neither main political bloc having secured a clear majority in the preliminary count.
The process is expected to hinge on the final distribution of seats and negotiations among the country’s political parties.
In the meantime, Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister until a new government is formed.
