Netanyahu’s bloc wins 53 seats, short of Knesset majority

Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats in Israel’s 120-member Knesset election, while the opposition alliance secured 48, leaving both short of the 61 needed for a majority. Arab parties collectively won 19 seats, making their support a potential factor in government formation, but the next government has not been determined. The Central Elections Committee published the completed count. It gives Likud 27 seats, making it the largest individual party, and confirms that neither of the two main blocs can govern alone. The results are due to be submitted to President Isaac Herzog on November 4 after routine verification, according to the committee’s reported timetable. The Arab parties’ combined total is reported as 19. Accounts differ on the allocation between the Joint List and Raam: one gives them 12 and seven seats, respectively, while another reports 11 and eight. The combined figure is the same, but the party-level distribution has not been resolved in the reports. The opposition, led by Gadi Eisenkot, would need support beyond its 48 seats to reach a majority. Cooperation with Arab parties could provide a route, but the parties’ participation cannot be assumed, and some...