The final election results were announced in the early hours of Friday (October 30), revealing a divided Knesset and setting the stage for potentially prolonged negotiations over the formation of the next government.
According to the official results, the coalition led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats.
Among the individual parties, Netanyahu’s Likud secured 27 seats, while Eisenkot’s Yashar Party won 21.
Meanwhile, Arab political parties secured a record 19 seats, nearly doubling their representation compared with the 10 seats they won in the previous election.
Election Fraud Allegations Rejected
During the election process, Netanyahu raised allegations that Arab voters had been influenced by Qatari funding and that electoral fraud had taken place.
However, the country’s election committee and domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet, dismissed the allegations as baseless.
Police also confirmed that the detention of three Arab party workers found in possession of cash was unrelated to the allegations.
Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot accused Netanyahu of making such claims to cast doubt on the election results and prolong his hold on power.
Government Formation Process Ahead
The official election results are scheduled to be submitted to Israeli President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday, November 4. Following their submission, Herzog will begin consultations with political party leaders to discuss the formation of a new government.
The newly elected Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.
However, the absence of an outright majority for either major political bloc could make government formation a lengthy process, with negotiations and the positions of smaller parties likely to play a significant role.
The record representation of Arab parties has also become an important factor in the post-election political landscape, as political leaders work to secure the parliamentary support needed to establish the next government.
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