Live Updates: Abbas calls for rapid government formation as Ra'am backs Eisenkot, UTJ abstains
Former Joint List leader Odeh suspected of receiving foreign funds • Herzog received the official election results from Sohlberg •
Israel politicians accuse Netanyahu of being 'danger to Israel'
Follow us on GoogleThe Democrats party delegation meets with President Isaac Herzog to consult on the next prime minister candidate, November 5, 2026.(photo credit: OREN BEN HAKOON/ISRAEL HAYOM/POOL)
Trump’s Israel aid cut sparks controversy as JD Vance blames Iran war for Republican midterm losses
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Opposition parties call for new Knesset speaker vote to be moved up amid rumors of Likud disruption
According to the sources, hundreds of Likud Central Committee members are expected to arrive at the Knesset on the day of the vote and attempt to block lawmakers from entering the chamber.
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 holds 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 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.
