Netanyahu Loses Majority in Israeli Elections, Arab Parties Hold Key Position

According to the final results announced by the Israeli Central Elections Committee, the right-wing bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won 53 seats, while the opposition bloc won 48. As neither bloc reached the 61 seats required to form a government alone, the Arab parties, which secured 19 seats, have become the key determinants of the election.

Although the Likud Party maintains its status as the largest group in the Knesset with 27 seats, Netanyahu's goal of forming a government has become difficult. If Netanyahu leaves office, it is expected that the way will be cleared for ongoing corruption trials and investigations regarding allegations of security failures related to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks.

The opposition bloc is seeking to cooperate with Arab parties on critical issues such as the election of the speaker of the parliament. While former military chief Gadi Eisenkot stated that he is open to joining forces with Arab parties, Ahmed Tibi from the Joint List announced that they would support the opposition's candidate for speaker of the parliament. If the situation where a government cannot be formed continues, Israel may face the prospect of going to elections again early next year.

Assessment: With the clarification of the election results, Netanyahu's party raised allegations that the Arab parties 'stole' the election with external support. The opposition, however, characterized this rhetoric as an attempt to delegitimize the election results by marginalizing the Arab population.