Israel's president receives official election results as Netanyahu's bloc falls short of majority and coalition talks begin
Israeli President Isaac Herzog received the official results of the country's 26th Knesset election on Wednesday, November 4, beginning the constitutional process of determining which political leader will be tasked with forming the next government.
The Central Elections Committee certified the results after finding no evidence of electoral fraud or irregularities that compromised the vote, according to reports by Ynet and The Jerusalem Post.
The certification came despite allegations from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party that the election had been stolen.
The final distribution of seats leaves Israel facing a difficult coalition-building process, with neither Netanyahu's political alliance nor the main opposition bloc holding a parliamentary majority.
According to The Jerusalem Post, Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the opposition bloc won 48.
The Palestinian parties Ra'am and the Joint List collectively secured 19 seats, giving them a potentially decisive role in determining whether a governing coalition can command the 61 seats required for a majority.
The results leave Netanyahu eight seats short of the threshold needed to form a government without support from parties outside his existing alliance.
The opposition bloc also lacks sufficient seats to govern independently, making negotiations with other political factions essential.
Under Israel's political system, the president consults representatives of the elected parliamentary factions before assigning a member of the Knesset the task of forming a government.
The decision is based on the candidate's prospects of assembling a coalition capable of securing parliamentary confidence, rather than automatically going to the leader of the largest party.
The election outcome has intensified attention on the role of opposition leaders, including former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, as parties prepare to submit their recommendations to Herzog.
The president's consultations will help determine whether Netanyahu receives another opportunity to form a government or whether an alternative candidate can secure broader parliamentary backing.
With the main political blocs divided and Palestinian parties holding a substantial number of seats, the formation of Israel's next government may depend on negotiations extending beyond traditional alliances.
The certification of the election results resolves the formal counting process but leaves the country's political future dependent on the outcome of coalition talks.