Israel’s recent election has concluded without a clear winner, as neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, secured enough seats to form a governing coalition. Updated exit polls show both leaders’ blocs hovering around 51 to 52 seats in the 120-member Knesset, short of the 61-seat majority required to govern. Arab-led parties achieved their strongest result ever with 17 to 18 seats, but they have not aligned themselves definitively with either side.

Gadi Eisenkot, a former military chief of staff and leader of the Yashar Party, claimed victory based on the initial exit polls and stated that he has the primary right to try building a government. He criticized Netanyahu’s leadership, particularly pointing to failures in the aftermath of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack and subsequent conflicts. Despite this, official results will only be confirmed by the Central Elections Committee on November 4, and the situation remains fluid.

Arab parties, particularly Ra’am led by Mansour Abbas and the Joint List headed by Ahmad Tibi, hold significant sway in the coalition talks as their position could determine the next government’s makeup. While Eisenkot is perceived to be more ideologically aligned with these parties than Netanyahu, neither candidate has openly sought their formal support. Netanyahu and his right-wing allies have campaigned against reliance on Arab parties, warning of their increasing voter turnout and accusing them of undermining Israeli democracy.

The election was widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s lengthy tenure and his controversial policies, including judicial reforms and handling of the Gaza war. With high voter turnout marking the highest participation rate in nearly three decades, the results have plunged Israeli politics into uncertainty. Experts suggest Netanyahu might try to prolong the government formation process to maintain power, intensifying the political standoff as Israel faces critical security and governance challenges.