Israeli Vote Count: Both Blocs Fall Short of 61 Seats

Israeli election officials were still counting ballots Thursday.

Israel's Central Election Committee reported that nearly 94% of votes had been counted as of Thursday, with no bloc securing the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority. The count began after Tuesday's parliamentary election.

The committee's partial results put Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party at 26 seats and Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party at 21 seats. Projected coalition totals showed Netanyahu's grouping at 53 seats against Eisenkot's bloc at 48. Arab parties were projected to hold 19 seats.

Netanyahu alleged on Wednesday that the election had been "stolen by Arab parties." He said Likud had submitted evidence of electoral fraud to electoral, law enforcement and security bodies but did not provide documentation of that claim. Likud separately stated that "foreign entities" had financially backed Arab parties; the party did not immediately release evidence for that assertion. Dean Livne, acting director general of the Central Election Committee, said Wednesday there was "no basis for allegations of election theft," according to Israel's Kan radio station. Israeli police said they would investigate any credible allegations of wrongdoing.

The Arab-led Joint List, a grouping of three parties projected to hold 12 seats as of Wednesday, said it was prepared for "political cooperation to oust the Netanyahu government." Mansour Abbas, who leads the United Arab List, also known as Ra'am, said he had been in contact with representatives from both coalitions. The party was projected to win seven seats. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have previously ruled out governing with Arab parties, and Netanyahu said in a post-election address that any government including them would "endanger Israel."

Eisenkot said Wednesday night he had held "a long day of meetings, conversations, and preparations to realize the will of the voter." He wrote on X: "We are focused on the heavy task entrusted to us, bringing change to Israel." The Central Election Committee said the final stage of counting was expected to close Thursday afternoon or evening local time, with final results published Nov. 4.

Netanyahu's post-election remarks drew condemnation from opposition leaders, who said the voting was free and fair and that no evidence of fraud existed.