Benjamin Netanyahu may remain in charge as the caretaker prime minister in Israel’s election, as no party won an absolute majority.
With about 86 percent of the votes counted, the country’s three main broadcasters predicted that Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition would win 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, while opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s coalition would win 48. Parties representing Arab Israelis would win 19 seats.
As a result, there is no realistic path open to Eisenkot coming to power without the broad support of Arab parties.
With Eisenkot’s coalition winning fewer seats than expected, it has become difficult to remove Netanyahu from power. Netanyahu will serve as caretaker prime minister while negotiations on forming a new government take place, and could remain in the position until another election next year, if necessary.
Experts say that while the caretaker government has some limitations, it still has considerable power, including over issues such as war with Iran.
In a speech to supporters of his Likud party early Wednesday, Netanyahu called for the formation of a strong right-wing national government. He also raised the possibility of resuming joint military operations with the United States against Iran. US President Donald Trump praised Netanyahu’s election results, claiming that his support played a role.
On the other hand, Eisenkot warned that Netanyahu, as head of a caretaker government, does not have a full political mandate. He called on the country’s security and government officials to take a stand against any attempt to use the security apparatus for political gain.
The election results also weighed on Israel’s financial markets. The shekel fell about 1.6 percent to 3.10 shekels against the U.S. dollar. The main Tel Aviv stock market indices also fell more than 3 percent.
Analysts said the results signaled a strengthening of right-wing politics among Israel’s Jewish voters. This was the country’s first election since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023. The war in Gaza, the conflict with Iran, and Israel’s growing isolation on the international stage were important contexts for the election.
The election saw a voter turnout of 77.7 percent, the highest in more than two decades. Voter turnout was particularly high among Israelis of Palestinian descent. However, despite the potential increase in seats for Arab parties, it may be difficult to secure the support of an opposition coalition to form a government. Most Jewish political leaders are reluctant to enter into formal alliances with Arab parties.
