In brief
Isaac Herzog accepted Israel’s newly certified election results, dismissing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s allegations of fraud, and began talks with party leaders to determine who should form the next government. With Likud short of a majority and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot’s bloc also falling short, the Israeli president’s consultations point to a need for wide‑reaching coalitions, including the Arab‑led Ra’am and Joint List.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog released a statement on Wednesday affirming that the 2026 parliamentary elections were complete and that the certified results were accepted. With the 120‑seat Knesset still to form a government, Herzog began consultations with party leaders to decide who would be tasked with assembling a coalition.
In the October 27 vote, neither Netanyahu’s Likud coalition nor the bloc led by opposition figure Gadi Eisenkot secured the 61 seats required to govern. Likud won 53 seats while Eisenkot’s coalition earned 48. The race left Israel with a “broken‑window” scenario in which both major factions are 8 to 13 seats shy of a simple majority.
The results also opened the door to an unprecedented level of Arab‑led representation. The Ra’am party and the Joint List each secured nine seats, bringing the total Arab‑led bloc to a record 19 seats. According to Israeli news outlet Ynet, Ra’am’s endorsement of Eisenkot could lift his expected support to 56 lawmakers, still below a majority but a potential bridge between opposition and the Knesset’s Arab parties.
Eisenkot’s prospects are further buoyed by the possibility of an alliance with the Arab‑led parties, but the situation remains complex. As Herzog began his first round of consultations, he met with representatives of the Religious Zionism, Zehut, Shas, and Yisrael Beytenu factions. Herzog received their recommendations regarding the identity of the Knesset member upon whom the task of forming the government should be assigned. Three factions aligned with Netanyahu’s religious‑nationalist base recommended that the prime minister be given the chance to form a coalition, while a fourth, led by a former Netanyahu ally turned rival, backed Eisenkot.
Earlier in the week, Netanyahu and his supporters made repeated claims that the Arab‑led parties had “stolen” the election, possibly with foreign assistance. The Israeli elections commission investigated all allegations of fraud, and on Wednesday issued a statement that it found no evidence of irregularities. This statement counters the prime minister’s narrative and underscores Herzog’s role as the arbiter of the electoral legitimacy.
The president’s acceptance of the results also has a symbolic effect. By publicly acknowledging the new allocation of seats, Herzog counters Netanyahu’s efforts to discredit the vote and signals a new phase of coalition negotiations that may involve unexpected alliances.
Herzog finished the first day of consultations with party leaders on Wednesday night, announcing that talks would continue into Thursday. He said he had also met with factions that would later attend the next day’s meeting, including the two Arab‑led factions, Eisenkot’s Yashar party and Netanyahu’s Likud. The President’s final decision on who will be tasked with forming the coalition is expected after these consultations conclude. In a statement on X, Herzog said: “The elections are over. Now is the time to face reality.”
According to a report from NBC News, the president’s acceptance of the results dealt a decisive blow to Netanyahu’s attempted undermining of the vote’s credibility. NBC notes that Herzog’s role in the process is to “choose the candidate he considers best placed to assemble a coalition,” most likely Netanyahu or Eisenkot.
Following the consultations, the president will choose the candidate he believes will successfully build a coalition. PBS NewsHour highlights that the outcome of these talks will determine whether Netanyahu, who currently leads a coalition of 53 seats, will continue, or whether Eisenkot, aided by the 19 Arab‑led seats, will forge a new majority. The next phase will involve negotiations that could hinge on party positions over security, economy and historic issues such as the status of Jerusalem.
The unfolding situation remains fluid. Late on Thursday, additional parties, including the two Arab‑led factions ra’am and Joint List, are scheduled to present their recommendations. The President’s future decision will be critical in shaping Israel’s next government, with implications that reach beyond domestic politics to the region’s fragile security dynamics.
