Difficult negotiations lie ahead in Israel after Netanyahu's bloc lost its parliamentary majority — SkimNews
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- Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 of 120 seats in the October 27 election, eight short of the 61-seat majority threshold; the main opposition bloc won 48 and Arab-led parties secured a historic 19 seats.
- Isaac Herzog will receive certified results on November 4 and then task someone with forming a government; if multiple attempts fail, Israel faces a new election early next year.
- Netanyahu remains in charge as prime minister and posted that a coalition with Arab-led parties is forbidden; the opposition accused him of demonizing Arab citizens, who make up 20% of Israel’s population.
- Likud amplified unsubstantiated allegations that Arab-led parties had “stolen” the election with foreign assistance; Israeli media reported that party members accused Qatar, and Netanyahu suggested joining the Arab-led parties would be treasonous.
- Noam Sohlberg said serious suspicions of foreign interference had been raised but could not be verified, asking the Shin Bet to investigate; the committee requested findings within a week and called claims of systematic electoral violations baseless.
- Qatar denied involvement in the alleged interference, calling the claims “ridiculous and dangerous,” while Acting Director General Dean Livne said reports about the investigation were “entirely unfounded” and did not affect the final results.
- Gadi Eisenkot and other opposition leaders have been urged by hundreds of Israelis, through rallies, to join forces with Arab-led parties, a step that occurred briefly only once before, in 2021.
Why it matters: Netanyahu’s 53 seats sit eight short of the 61 needed, while Arab-led parties hold 19 and are pivotal to either side’s arithmetic. At the November 10 Knesset convening, Eisenkot’s bloc and the Arab parties are in contention for the speaker, with agenda control and pre-government legislation at stake.
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