Netanyahu’s bloc wins 53 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, short of a majority, as he claims mass voting fraud in Arab communities
With 99% of votes counted, the right-wing bloc leads but cannot form a government alone, and the opposition fears an attempt to block certification.
With 99% of votes counted, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc, including the Likud party and its allies, is expected to win 53 seats in the Knesset2. Likud took the top spot among parties3.
The count continued after election day, with the right-wing bloc ahead of the opposition as the results came in3.
The bloc finished ahead in the vote but well short of a majority4. Netanyahu won the election but failed to secure the majority needed to form a government5.
Israel elected a new parliament on Tuesday, with about 7.3 million eligible voters called to choose the Knesset’s 120 members6. The result is a deadlock in parliament, with Arab-Israeli parties posting a record result6.
After his far-right coalition lost 11 seats, Netanyahu is trying to discredit the results by claiming there was mass voting fraud in Arab communities1.
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Why it matters to investors
The fraud claim bears directly on who governs next. Netanyahu appears to be trying to discourage the opposition bloc from cooperating with Arab parties to form a new government1.
The opposition is concerned he has a more ambitious goal: to prevent the results from being certified at all1. That would block the swearing in of a new parliament, in which he would lose his majority1.
The campaign against the Arab vote did not begin after the count. Netanyahu and his Likud party started the effort to delegitimize the Arab vote days before the elections1.
The arithmetic leaves the outcome open. A bloc of 53 seats in a 120-seat chamber falls short of a majority, while Arab-Israeli parties posted a record result2,6. If the results were not certified, the new parliament could not be sworn in1,5.
What to watch
The first marker is the final count, since the 53-seat figure is based on 99% of votes counted2,3.
A second is certification. The opposition’s concern is that the results may not be certified, which would block the new parliament from being sworn in1.
A third is whether the opposition bloc reaches an arrangement with Arab parties, the step Netanyahu’s fraud claims appear aimed at discouraging1,6.
A fourth is the final size of the Arab-Israeli parties’ record result, given that cooperation with Arab parties is the route to a new government that Netanyahu’s campaign targets1,6.
Sources
- After losing his majority, Netanyahu tries to delegitimize election results, axios.com (2026-10-29)
- Netanyahu and His Bloc Lead Israeli Elections but Lack Majority - Nacionale, nacionale.com (2026-10-30)
- Right-wing bloc wins Israeli election with 53 seats, Likud takes top spot - JNS.org, jns.org (2026-10-30)
- In call with Bahrain King, Lebanon’s Aoun urges reactivation of air route | Khaleej Times, khaleejtimes.com (2026-10-30)
- Russia : Novaya Gazeta, critical of Putin , shuts down - Voz.us, voz.us (2026-10-31)
- Pattsituation im Parlament – arabisch-israelische Parteien mit Rekordergebnis - Tagesspiegel, tagesspiegel.de (2026-10-30)
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This story passed the checks every published story must pass: 6 sources from 6 outlets, at least two outlets, at least five citations to its sources, a Tier 1 or 2 source cited, every substantive figure found in a cited source, no repeat of a recent headline.