Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win 53 seats in Israel’s election, short of a majority as 600,000 ballots remain

With all regular ballots counted in Israel’s parliamentary election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to hold 53 seats. The opposition bloc is projected to win 48 seats and Arab parties 19, leaving neither major bloc with the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

Likud is projected to remain the largest party, with 26 seats, followed by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21. Bennett’s party and the Joint List are each projected to win 12 seats; the Democrats, eight; and Yisrael Beiteinu, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Ra’am and Otzma Yehudit, seven each. Religious Zionism is projected to win six seats.

About 600,000 double-envelope ballots have yet to be counted and could still affect the final distribution of seats.