Israel’s election count has yet to produce a clear winner, with preliminary results showing that neither major political bloc has secured enough seats to form a government alone. After nearly 90% of votes were counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance was projected to win 53 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot was expected to secure 48.

The Knesset, Israel’s 120-member parliament, requires a minimum of 61 seats for a government to command a majority. Netanyahu’s Likud party is projected to emerge as the largest single party with around 26 seats. However, the wider alliance still falls short of the threshold needed to govern.

Early projections also point to reduced representation for parties led by far-right politicians Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich. Any decline in their seat numbers could make coalition negotiations more difficult for Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, Eisenkot’s newly formed Yashar party is projected to win 21 seats, while Naftali Bennett’s Beyachad party could secure 12. Even with these projected gains, the opposition bloc may struggle to reach a majority without support from Arab parties.

Preliminary figures suggest Arab parties could collectively win 19 seats, potentially increasing their influence in parliament. Overall voter turnout reportedly reached about 78%. However, the role Arab parties might play in forming the next government remains uncertain because major political blocs have been reluctant to include them in their coalitions.

Eisenkot has said the projected results reflect public opposition to Netanyahu’s leadership. He has also warned against using the Israeli military for political purposes. The final vote count and subsequent negotiations will determine whether either bloc can assemble the support required to form the next government.