Live Updates: Eisenkot lays out principles to join coalition, Liberman reports of Knesset speaker ambitions
Mossad to provide Shin Bet with assessment of suspected foreign interference in elections• Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid meet to discuss election results, coordinate next steps
Eisenkot lays out four coalition principles, says 'any MK' who accepts them can join government
Eisenkot said on Saturday that any MK willing to endorse his four principles could join a broad Zionist government, as he seeks to translate the October 27 election results into a new coalition.
ByJERUSALEM POST STAFFYashar party chairman Gadi Eisenkot alongside members of his party at the party’s election headquarters in Tel Aviv, following the closing of polling stations and the release of exit poll results on Israel’s general election night, October 28, 2026.(photo credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)Go to the full article > >
Gadi Eisenkot, Yair Lapid meet to discuss election results, coordinate next steps
Yisrael Beytenu’s Liberman denies that he wants position of Knesset speaker
"I have received several inquiries regarding demands for the position of Knesset speaker. I have no desire and no intention of becoming Knesset speaker," Liberman wrote on social media.
ByAVI SOLOMONYisrael Beiteinu party chairman MK Avigdor Liberman at the party’s election headquarters in Tel Aviv, on Israel’s general election night, October 27, 2026.(photo credit: Tal Gal/Flash90)Go to the full article > >
Mossad to provide Shin Bet with assessment of suspected foreign interference in elections
At this stage, it is unclear whether the assessment includes investigative findings regarding potential foreign election interference or only an expert opinion.
ByAMIR BOHBOTIsraelis cast their votes at a polling station in Jerusalem during Election Day, October 27, 2026.(photo credit: Rachel Alroey/Flash90)Go to the full article > >
What are we for? The question Israel's political opposition can no longer avoid - opinion
Naftali Bennett's government collapsed after roughly a year because it could not govern. Disdain is a powerful electoral tool. It is a weak foundation for a lasting coalition.
ByGEORGE BIRNBAUMIsrael’s election campaign is gathering pace, with the country’s political parties competing over the questions of security, leadership and the direction Israel takes after three years of war.(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)Go to the full article > >
Netanyahu, Eisenkot must reach a deal to end Israel's political deadlock - opinion
Eisenkot, Bennett, Liberman, Lapid and, yes, even Golan, must reconsider their refusal to serve in a Netanyahu government. The PM should accept an arrangement that includes his retirement.
ByARYEH GREENPrime Minister and Likud party chairman Benjamin Netanyahu at the Likud party’s election headquarters in Jerusalem, October 28, 2026(photo credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)Go to the full article > >
Who are the high-profile names making their way into politics for the first time? - explainer
Alongside veteran politicians, several high-profile figures with notable personal and political stories will enter parliament. These are the names to know.
ByAVI SOLOMONYaakov Bardugo, a new member of the Likud party, attends an event presenting the party’s new candidates ahead of the upcoming general elections, in Jerusalem, September 8, 2026.(photo credit: CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90)Go to the full article > >
Below the threshold: Elkin, Sukkot, Radman among those left out of 26th Knesset after election
From Likud's Ze'ev Elkin to protest leader Moshe Radman, Tuesday's election left several prominent Israeli political figures without Knesset seats.
ByAVI SOLOMONZe'ev Elkin, Zvi Sukkot, and Moshe Radman, three prominent political figures who failed to secure seats in the 26th Knesset following Tuesday's Israeli election.(photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/FLASH90, Canva, CHAIM GOLDBERG/FLASH90, Sharon Leibel/Flash90)Go to the full article > >
'He sent them to the polls': Likud activists blame Ben-Gvir for galvanizing Arab voters
Local activists from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party said Ben-Gvir’s aggressive rhetoric and combative statements had failed to deliver electoral gains in southern Israel.
ByYANIR YAGNA, AVI SOLOMONOtzma Yehudit party chairman and Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, alongside members of his party, at the party’s election headquarters in Modiin, on Israel’s general election night, October 28, 2026. (photo credit: FLASH90)Go to the full article > >
Opposition bloc considers reviving direct elections without dissolving Knesset to end stalemate
The opposition is considering direct elections for prime minister, reviving Netanyahu's 2021 proposal as coalition negotiations remain deadlocked.
ByMAARIVAn Israeli votes in the 2026 Knesset election, October 27, 2026.(photo credit: MARC ISRAEL SELLEM)Go to the full article > >Israel votes 2026: All you need to know
The final voter turnout was 77.7% when polls closed at 10:00 p.m., according to the Central Elections Committee (CEC), up 7.1% from the 2022 election.
Likud remains the largest party: Netanyahu's Likud won 27 seats, followed by Eisenkot's Yashar with 21 and Naftali Bennett's B'Yachad with 12.
Netanyahu's bloc leads, but falls short of a majority: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is set to hold 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is set to hold 48 seats.
Arab parties hold 19 seats: The Joint List and Ra'am secured a combined 19 seats, giving them a potentially decisive role in efforts to form the next government.
What happens next? Once the official results are published, President Isaac Herzog will consult with representatives of the elected parties before tasking a lawmaker with forming the next government. The designated candidate will initially have 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to form a coalition.
Could Israel face another election? If no candidate succeeds in forming a government through the prescribed process, the political deadlock could ultimately lead to another election.
