Netanyahu and Eisenkot seek coalition paths after inconclusive Israeli election
publishers 95articles 185first reported 18 Oct, 00:05 UTCdeveloping since 18 Oct · 14 editionstop 25 #11
Israel’s election produced no clear parliamentary majority, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot competing to assemble a governing coalition as absentee ballots continued to be counted.
Provisional figures cited by The Indian Express, with about 89% of votes counted, gave Netanyahu’s bloc 53 seats and Eisenkot’s 48 in the 120-seat Knesset. Arab-led parties held 19 seats, potentially giving them a decisive role, though major Jewish-led opposition parties have previously ruled out relying on them. Earlier television exit polls likewise showed neither main bloc reaching the 61 seats required for a majority.
Turnout exceeded 77%, the highest in more than two decades. Likud appeared set to remain the largest individual party, while Arab-led parties recorded strong gains. Remaining ballots, including votes from soldiers and diplomats, could alter the final seat distribution.
Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot pledged to form the next government. Netanyahu called for a “strong, national, right-wing government,” while Eisenkot said voters had chosen change and opposed holding another election.
On Thursday, Eisenkot accused Netanyahu and Likud of conducting an organised effort to “delegitimise” the results through allegations of wrongdoing involving Palestinian-led parties. Official results were expected around November 4. President Isaac Herzog will then consult party leaders and give a lawmaker an initial 28-day mandate to try to form a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension. Failure by all candidates could lead to another election.
HOW THIS STORY WAS MADE
Written from 8 articles, 6 with the publisher's own text; 8 independent newsrooms once syndicated copies count as one; this version written 270 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 95
- Source articles
- 185
- Given to the writer
- 8, 6 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8
- This version written
- 270 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
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- passed
- Human review
- none
WHAT THE EDITOR DID
The second model checked the writer's draft against the same sources and published it as written.
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