Israel's Final Count Leaves Netanyahu's Bloc at 53 Seats, Short of a Majority, as Reports Say an Ultra-Orthodox Party May Talk to the Opposition
Fox News says Eisenkot's alliance has 48 and two Arab parties won 19. A party office denies it told lawmakers to open talks. Both sides need 61, and analysts see a unity government or a new election as likely paths.
Israel's election is settled, but who will govern is not, Fox News reports.
The count. The Central Elections Committee published the final results early Friday. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc won 53 of the 120 Knesset seats, and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot's alliance won 48. Two mostly Arab parties won a historic 19, up from 10. By party, Netanyahu's Likud is largest with 27 seats, followed by Eisenkot's Yashar with 21 and former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's Beyachad with 12. Turnout was 77.9%. Neither side has the 61 seats needed.
The ultra-Orthodox question. Israeli journalist Yishai Cohen of Kikar HaShabbat reported that Rabbi Dov Lando told lawmakers from Degel HaTorah, part of United Torah Judaism, to open talks with the opposition about protecting yeshiva students from military service. Channel 12 reported that some in the party were weighing letting an Eisenkot-led minority government survive with outside support. Party figures told Channel 12: "Our votes are not in Netanyahu's pocket." The office of the party's chairman, Yaakov Asher, denied any instruction was given. Eisenkot's pledge to expand conscription is a major obstacle.
The Arab parties. Channel 12 reported Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas is deeply skeptical about backing an Eisenkot-led minority government. Commentator Mohammed Majadla told Fox that both Arab lists would do all they can in the political process to keep Netanyahu from returning, whether by joining a coalition, supporting from outside or abstaining. Analyst Amit Segal said the options have narrowed to a Netanyahu-Eisenkot unity government or another election.
The next steps. A unity government would need Eisenkot to drop his pledge not to serve under Netanyahu. If Eisenkot gets the mandate and fails, President Isaac Herzog could pass it to another candidate, possibly giving Netanyahu a chance. Results go to Herzog on Nov. 4 and the new Knesset is sworn in Nov. 10.
Note for readers: much of this rests on Hebrew-language media reports and an anonymous source close to the opposition, and one party denies a key claim. Our earlier stories on the exit polls and Netanyahu's claim of a stolen election are on the site.