Israeli President Isaac Herzog was scheduled to meet with former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot on Thursday as the deadline approached for him to decide which candidate should receive the first opportunity to form a governing coalition. The election held the previous month produced unexpected results in what many observers characterized as a pivotal moment in Israeli politics.
Netanyahu’s coalition experienced a significant setback, losing its parliamentary majority by dropping from 68 to 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Eisenkot, a retired military general and former chief of staff, leads the Change bloc of Zionist parties, which secured 48 seats. The political arithmetic left parties representing Arab Israeli citizens in a potentially decisive position, collectively holding a record 19 seats—11 with the Joint List and 8 with the Ra’am party. Under Israel’s system, the president’s largely ceremonial role includes identifying which candidate possesses the most viable path to assembling a stable majority.
A remarkable surge in voter participation among Arab Israelis, who constitute one-fifth of the population, doubled to approximately 80 percent, substantially altering the electoral outcome. Palestinian voters in occupied territories had no participation in the vote. Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen indicated willingness to consider supporting an opposition coalition while highlighting demands from Arab constituents for significant governmental change, particularly regarding personnel they perceived as extreme.
Eisenkot imposed specific conditions on any coalition arrangement with Arab parties, requiring recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, acceptance of mandatory national service provisions, and condemnation of Hamas. The Joint List indicated potential support from outside the government through strategic voting, while Ra’am signaled openness to joining an Eisenkot-led administration. Netanyahu retained his position as prime minister in a caretaker capacity until a functioning coalition materialized or additional elections became necessary.
Election officials confirmed the integrity of the voting process after Netanyahu raised allegations of potential irregularities. Critics argued this represented an attempt to undermine results, a charge Netanyahu denied. Netanyahu’s far-right coalition partners called for aggressive investigation of Arab party leadership.
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