Israel faces coalition talks after Netanyahu's bloc loses majority

Israel's final election results confirmed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies secured 53 of the 120 Knesset seats, falling short of the 61 needed for a governing majority. The main opposition bloc won 48 seats, while Arab-led parties captured 19 seats, a historic showing.

With the results pending certification, President Isaac Herzog will appoint a party leader to attempt to assemble a coalition. Netanyahu remains caretaker prime minister during the interim.

Centrist politician Yair Lapid said on X, "Now comes the truly hard part," urging patience as negotiations begin.

Analysts note that Israel's multiparty system offers multiple coalition pathways, unlike the two-party structure in the United States.

In the hours before the final tally, Netanyahu and Likud raised unverified claims that Arab-led parties had benefited from foreign interference, prompting the head of the election committee, Justice Noam Sohlberg, to request a Shin Bet investigation. Acting Director General Dean Livne described the allegations as "entirely unfounded" and said they do not affect the certified results.

Opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, are weighing whether to partner with Arab parties, a scenario last seen briefly in 2021. Some citizens have called for cooperation, arguing that Arab parties represent a legitimate segment of the population.

If coalition talks fail, a new election could be called for early next year, a outcome President Herzog said he will work to avoid.