Israel’s parliament has finished voting, with no clear outcome for either the coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or the opposition, which could lead to several weeks of fragile coalition talks.
Once votes are tallied, Netanyahu’s coalition would have 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while Gadi Eisenkot’s anti-Netanyahu alliance would win 48. Arab-led parties gained a total of 19 seats, reports Al Jazeera, quoting Israeli media.
A minimum of 61 seats is required for a parliamentary majority. Opposition leaders are now considering alternative government coalitions to Netanyahu’s. Eisenkot met with erstwhile Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and other leaders of the opposition.
Yet, it remains difficult to form a government, with a number of opposition parties having refused to team up with the Arab parties that could hold the balance of power.
The vote, which took place on Tuesday, was seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership in the wake of Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attacks and the war in Gaza.
The final results are expected to be officially certified by the Central Elections Committee on 4 November, plunging Israel into yet another period of political instability.
