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Israel Election Results in Deadlock; Netanyahu's Bloc Loses Majority
· Confirmed
In Short: Neither Netanyahu’s political bloc nor the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured a majority, according to the official results, as reported by CBS News.
The predominantly Arab parties, which combined have 19 seats, could play a crucial role in determining the next government, as neither main political bloc has a parliamentary majority, reported Fox News and France 24.
Netanyahu's Likud party has been spreading claims of foreign interference and voter bribery, particularly targeting Arab-led parties, but these allegations have been dismissed by the opposition and denied by Qatar's Foreign Ministry, as per BBC.
Eisenkot, who was briefed on the investigation into alleged foreign interference, accused Netanyahu of running an orchestrated campaign to delegitimize the election results, while Balad chairman Sami Abu Shehadeh dismissed the allegations as a racist blood libel, according to BBC.
With around 90 percent of the votes counted, Netanyahu’s Likud party lost 10 seats from its current parliamentary representation, as reported by Foreignpolicy.
Record voter turnout and early exit polls left neither major political bloc with a clear path to a governing majority, noted Fox News.
The Central Elections Committee (CEC) published the final results of the 2026 national election in the early hours of Friday morning, as reported by The Times of Israel.
The votes are still being counted, and Israel’s Central Elections Commission said final results likely won’t be known until tomorrow, according to NBC News.
Nationwide turnout as of 2:00 pm (1200 GMT) was the highest at that point in the day since such statistics were first recorded in 1973, with the Central Elections Committee giving a figure of 44.9 percent, reported Naharnet.
Neither Netanyahu’s political bloc nor the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured a majority, according to the official results, as reported by CBS News.
Weeks of negotiations to build a majority coalition and name a prime minister likely lie ahead, with another election possible if they fail, as noted by Thecanadianpressnews.ca.
The deadlock leaves the country facing uncertainty over its next government, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc falling short of a majority in the 120-member Knesset, as reported by Arabnews and Fox News.
Background
Serbian students gathered in Belgrade for their final pre-election rally, aiming to unseat President Aleksandar Vucic and his Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) after 14 years of rule.
On October 27, Israelis will head to the polls in an election that could reshape the country's future, with Benjamin Netanyahu seeking another term despite corruption charges, according to Al Jazeera (Qatar) and Haaretz (Israel).
What's confirmed
- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's party on Thursday amplified unsubstantiated allegations that Arab-led parties had “stolen” the election, potentially with foreign assistance, as final results showed his bloc had lost its majority in parliament.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ’s right-wing bloc won 53 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset, or parliament, results released by election officials on Thursday showed, well below the 68 it had controlled at its peak in the previous parliament.
- If the rest of the opposition teams up with Arab parties, a rare and politically risky move, they could potentially form a majority government in parliament, the Knesset.
- The demonstration took place at Hostages Square, three days before Israel’s general election, the first since the war on Gaza began.
- But that is still short of the 61 needed for a majority.
What's still developing
- That positions them as potential kingmakers, with Netanyahu's bloc winning 53 seats and his rival Gadi Eisenkot's bloc securing 48.
- Sass Jordan cause of death: How did ‘Racine’ singer die after cancelling shows over ‘serious medical condition’?
- Eisenkot said that the loss of his youngest son pushed him to take action to better the country, and in September 2025, he launched Yashar, months after leaving Netanyahu’s emergency coalition.
- Humanitarian catastrophe largely ignored as rivals Gadi Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu vow to end Hamas rule Humanitarian catastrophe largely ignored as rivals Gadi Eisenkot and Benjamin Netanyahu vow to end Hamas rule As Israel prepares to go to the polls, Palestinians in Gaza are bracing for an outcome that could shape their future, knowing their fate rests with the country that has reduced much of the territory to rubble and killed nearly 75,000 people.
- Trump praised Netanyahu as a partner in combat… The United States imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC), escalating its campaign against the court over its investigations of the United … CENTCOM announced the completion of the US military withdrawal from Iraq, ending Operation Inherent Resolve in the country.
- Netanyahu’s chief rival, Gadi Eisenkot, attended the rally that was an echo of the weekly ones once held to call for the release of hostages taken into Gaza.
- LONDON: At a pharmacy in Tira, an Arab city in central Israel, a young cashier urged Amal to vote in the Israeli general election on Tuesday.
- With polls showing that Netanyahu and his governing coalition are slipping in their struggle to retain power in the upcoming October 27 election and lag behind the opposition bloc, an endorsement from the president of the United States is a powerful statement.
- Written by Expats.cz Staff Published on 27.10.2026 17:22:00 (updated on 27.10.2026) Reading time: 2 minutes Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babiš wished Israel good luck in its parliamentary election Tuesday and said he hoped the country would continue to be led by a strong leader.
- Foreign Policy, 1099 14th St NW, Suite 500 East, Washington, D.C., 20005.
- Israel uses proportional representation to elect 120 members to the Knesset, although no single party since the nation was founded in 1948 has won a 61-seat majority.