Facts
- The Israel election for all 120 Knesset seats was held on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. A governing majority requires 61 seats.
- With about 89.8% of ballots counted Wednesday evening, Israel’s Central Elections Committee figures gave Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats, eight short of a majority. The bloc holds 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset.
- The opposition bloc led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot had 48 seats.
- Arab-led parties, the Joint List and Ra’am, had a combined 19 seats, a record. Their previous high was 15.
- In the latest party breakdown, Likud led with 26 seats, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21, Naftali Bennett’s B’Yachad and the Joint List with 12 each, and The Democrats with 8.
- Tuesday’s exit polls had shown Eisenkot’s bloc slightly ahead, but the count reversed that as it progressed.
- Between roughly 430,000 and 480,000 “double envelope” ballots from soldiers, diplomats and others are still to be counted starting Thursday and could shift seats.
- Official final results are expected November 4.
- Most Zionist opposition parties have ruled out a coalition with the Arab-led parties, and Eisenkot has said he will not serve under Netanyahu, raising the possibility of another election.
- Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister while coalition talks take place. President Isaac Herzog has urged the parties to negotiate rather than return to the polls.
Quotes
Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to supporters at the International Convention Center in Jerusalem as Likud emerged as the largest party: “The Zionist majority must come to its senses and unite.”
Gadi Eisenkot, who also called on Netanyahu to step down, as quoted by The Times of Israel: “I will do my utmost to form a Zionist government.”
Source Read The Times of Israel’s full results report here.
