In brief
Israel’s 2026 parliamentary election produced a hung Knesset, with the pro‑Netanyahu coalition winning 53 seats, the opposition bloc 48, and Arab parties 19. President Isaac Herzog must nominate a Knesset member to form a government by November 11, giving the chosen candidate 28 days, extendable by 14, to assemble a coalition. The future government could see Prime Minister Netanyahu, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, or a unity arrangement, but no outcome is yet confirmed.
The 2026 general election in Israel left every major bloc short of the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120‑seat Knesset, forcing the country into a protracted search for a coalition government. The pro‑Netanyahu coalition secured 53 seats, while the bloc of Jewish parties opposed to Netanyahu gained 48 and Arab‑led parties won 19, together totaling a 120‑seat parliament that still lacks a clear majority.
Election Results Detail
The pro‑Netanyahu coalition received 53 seats: Likud 27, United Torah Judaism 7, Otzma Yehudit 7, Shas 6, and Religious Zionism 6. The opposition bloc, led by parties such as Yashar (21 seats), B’Yachad 12, The Democrats 8, and Yisrael Beytenu 7, collected 48 seats. Arab‑led parties claimed 19 seats, with the Joint List 11 and Ra’am 8.
All three groupings together have 120 seats, the full size of the Knesset, but none hold the 61 seats necessary to form a majority government without reaching across bloc lines.
Next Steps and Presidential Mandate
Following the vote, the results must be officially certified and presented to President Isaac Herzog by November 4. The new Knesset is scheduled to be sworn in on November 10. Herzog is required to task one incoming Knesset member with forming a new government by November 11. The appointed candidate has a 28‑day window to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14‑day extension if negotiations drag on.
At present, Herzog has not publicly announced who he will nominate, but the most likely candidates are Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu or former Israeli military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Eisenkot’s Yashar party received the highest vote total among opposition parties, and according to Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth, he may have an edge over Netanyahu if Arab‑led parties decide to endorse him in a bid to remove Netanyahu from power.
In a statement earlier this year, Herzog urged Israeli politicians to depart from rigid partisan stances and seek “creative solutions,” offering to press for a national unity government that could bring Netanyahu and Eisenkot together in a shared administration. Herzog also stressed his intention to avoid a second election cycle, even if it requires a compromise between rival factions.
While a unity government has not been formally proposed, the sources indicate that Herzog might consider it as a shortcut to avoid a repeat election. The political landscape remains fluid, with parties still negotiating potential cross‑bloc agreements before the deadline on November 11.
The final outcome of the coalition negotiations, whether Netanyahu will lead the next government, Eisenkot, or an alternative leader will emerge from inter‑party talks, and whether a unity cabinet will materialize, remain uncertain at this juncture. Only time will show which path the Israeli political establishment will pursue to secure a majority and form the next governing coalition.
