Netanyahu Bloc Leads Israel Vote but Falls Short of Majority

Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc was projected to win 53 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset, ahead of the opposition’s 48 but short of the 61 needed for a majority, as election counting continued. The figures left neither major bloc with a clear path to form a government on its own. The projections followed a series of changing early estimates. Exit polls initially put Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc ahead, but later updates and partial counts shifted the lead to Netanyahu’s camp. As counting advanced, reports put Arab parties at 19 seats, a total that could give them influence in coalition negotiations, though their role in any government remains unsettled. A later count covering all regular ballots also showed 53 seats for Netanyahu’s bloc and 48 for the opposition. That tally excluded double-envelope ballots, and the final seat distribution could change when those votes are counted. The special ballots include votes from people casting ballots outside their designated polling stations, including soldiers, diplomats, police officers and displaced residents. The Central Elections Committee said counting could continue through Friday; official results were expected next week....