Netanyahu and Eisenkot seek coalition after inconclusive Israeli election
publishers 104articles 201first reported 18 Oct, 00:05 UTCdeveloping since 18 Oct · 15 editionstop 25 #18
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot have both pledged to form a government after an election left neither camp with the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-member Knesset.
The final count cited by CNA gave Netanyahu’s Likud-led alliance of far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties 53 seats, including 27 for Likud, while Eisenkot’s opposition bloc remained short of a majority. Earlier projections and partial counts varied, but consistently showed both main blocs unable to govern alone.
Arab-led parties emerged with 19 seats and could hold the balance of power. An alliance between them and Eisenkot’s bloc would clear the majority threshold on paper, but Eisenkot and several allied parties pledged during the campaign not to rely on Arab-majority lists. Netanyahu has also rejected governing with Arab parties and would need to persuade at least one opposition party to join his coalition.
Eisenkot on Thursday accused Netanyahu and Likud of conducting a coordinated campaign to “delegitimise” the results through allegations of wrongdoing involving Palestinian-led parties. The Irish Times described Likud’s claims concerning Arab turnout as unsubstantiated.
President Isaac Herzog will consult party leaders and ask the lawmaker considered most likely to assemble a majority to try to form a government. That candidate initially receives 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension. If coalition negotiations fail, another lawmaker could receive the mandate or Israel could return to the polls.
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 (7 if wire copies count as one too); this version written 288 h after the record first saw the story; the editor kept it as written.
- Publishers
- 104
- Source articles
- 201
- Given to the writer
- 8, 6 with the article's own text
- Independent newsrooms
- 8 (7 if wire copies count as one)
- This version written
- 288 h after the record first saw the story
- Second model (editor)
- kept as written
- Publication gate
- passed
- Human review
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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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