Opinion: Netanyahu Gives Israel Another Surprise as Coalition Talks Loom

Partial count favors Netanyahu

Figures from the Central Elections Committee, reported by the Times of Israel, gave Netanyahu’s bloc 54 seats and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot 49. The results reflected 84.5% of votes counted as of 12:30 p.m. local time.

Neither bloc is expected to secure a majority on its own. A governing coalition will therefore likely require talks between parties.

Absentee ballots may shift results

The seat totals remain provisional, with a record number of absentee votes still to be counted. The newspaper reported that the complete tally may not be confirmed until Friday. The election coverage refers to October 27, 2026, and the following days as the period for ongoing updates.

Arab-led parties hold 17 seats

The Arab-led Joint List and United Arab List, also known by its Hebrew name, Ra’am, had fallen to a combined 17 seats in the partial results. Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen called for a “genuine Jewish-Arab partnership” to replace Netanyahu’s government, telling Israeli media that parties seeking a “substantive and genuine alternative” would need to speak with his group. Jabareen said his party was prepared to use its political strength to advance its values and help replace the government of Netanyahu, Itamar Ben-Gvir and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich.