Israel’s October 28, 2026, election has left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing a difficult path to forming the next government, with preliminary results showing his right-wing bloc projected to win 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset. The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot was projected to secure 48 seats, while Arab-led parties surged to a combined 19 seats, marking a historic high. Neither of the two main blocs reached the 61 seats required to command a parliamentary majority, leaving the country facing potentially prolonged coalition negotiations. In a six-minute news explainer, Eli Steinberg examines what the results mean for Israel’s political future and outlines the options available to party leaders as they seek to assemble a governing coalition. Although Netanyahu’s bloc remained ahead in the partial count, the numbers indicated that his existing political alliance had lost its parliamentary majority, complicating his efforts to maintain power.

The next stage will involve President Isaac Herzog consulting political parties before deciding which lawmaker should receive the mandate to form a government. However, building a coalition could prove difficult because several opposition figures have rejected cooperation with Arab-led parties, even though their combined seats could prove decisive in determining whether an alternative government can command a majority. Potential scenarios include a unity government involving Likud and Eisenkot’s Yashar party, alongside other possible political combinations, but each would require negotiations and compromises among parties with competing priorities. Previous efforts to establish broad coalitions, including arrangements involving Avigdor Lieberman or Benny Gantz, illustrate the challenges of bringing rival political camps together. Until a new government is formed, Netanyahu is expected to remain caretaker prime minister, while negotiations determine whether he can secure sufficient parliamentary support or whether another candidate will receive an opportunity to form a government.