Netanyahu's Bloc Loses Majority as Arab Parties Surge to 19 Seats

Benjamin Netanyahu's political alliance lost its parliamentary majority in Israel's Tuesday election, a result that triggers weeks of high-stakes coalition negotiations. Final counts released early Friday confirmed that Netanyahu's bloc captured 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. The main opposition bloc won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties secured the remaining 19, marking a historic turnout for that demographic.

The arithmetic of the new government is tight. Any governing coalition must command at least 61 seats to hold power. Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, remains in office for now. However, the path to a stable cabinet is unclear as parties from ultra-Orthodox to secular to Arab-led factions must find common ground.

Centrist politician Yair Lapid acknowledged the difficulty of the upcoming talks. "Now comes the truly hard part," he wrote on X. "If you want to know if something’s happening behind the silence you’re hearing now, the answer is yes."

Tensions rose before the final results were certified. Netanyahu and his Likud party amplified claims that Arab-led parties "stolen" the election, possibly with foreign help. The opposition criticized this move as an attempt to demonize the Arab population, which constitutes 20% of the country. In his first public comment Friday, Netanyahu stated it is forbidden to form a coalition with Arab parties.

Election officials sought to calm the waters. Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, who heads the election committee, noted that serious suspicions of foreign interference had been raised. He asked the Shin Bet security agency to investigate, though he could not verify the claims independently. The election commission stated that the investigation was based on classified intelligence but did not affect the final results.

Acting Director General Dean Livne of the election commission warned that reports about the investigation were "entirely unfounded." The committee wants findings from the Shin Bet within a week. Meanwhile, Qatar, which was accused by some of Netanyahu's allies, called the allegations "ridiculous and dangerous."

The new Knesset is expected to be sworn in on Nov. 10. President Isaac Herzog will task a leader with forming a government next Wednesday after the results are formally submitted. If negotiations fail, Israel faces a new election early next year. Eisenkot's bloc could join forces with Arab parties to elect a new speaker, giving them control over the parliamentary agenda even before a government is formed.