Israel elections: Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc finishes ahead, but short of majority
· Scroll
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s alliance finished ahead in the country’s general election, but was short of forming a majority.
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Netanyahu’s coalition of right-wing and far-right parties won 53 of the 120 seats in Parliament.
The Opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, secured 48 seats. The Arab parties, which are supported largely by Israel’s Palestinian minority, won 19 seats.
A party or an alliance needs 61 seats to form the government.
As neither alliance secured a majority, the Arab parties were being viewed as kingmakers. The coalition talks were beginning and could last weeks.
Another election would be held if coalition talks fail and no government can be formed.
Before the polls, both alliances had said they would not form coalitions with two Arab parties, Raam and the Joint List.
On Thursday, Netanyahu’s bloc alleged that Arab-Israeli groups received foreign funding to influence the vote. The controversy centred on allegations that Raam received money from Qatar for the purpose. The accusations were rejected by both Arab parties and Qatar, AFP reported.
Dean Livne, the acting director general for the Electoral Commission, was quoted as having said that allegations of widespread irregularities in the conduct of the polls was “entirely groundless”.
Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is seeking another term after nearly three years of a genocidal war on Gaza.
Israel’s military offensive in Gaza began in October 2023 after Palestinian...