By — Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press Tia Goldenberg, Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/4-takeaways-from-israels-inconclusive-election Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter 4 takeaways from Israel's inconclusive election World Oct 28, 2026 4:47 PM EDT JERUSALEM (AP) — Israelis faced political uncertainty Wednesday after no clear winner appeared to have emerged from a high-turnout election. The path to forming a government is fraught for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main opponent, and another round of elections cannot be ruled out. READ MORE: Israelis await final election results as Netanyahu rivals weigh joining forces with Arab parties The first elections since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack were seen as a pivotal moment in Israel's history, serving both as a referendum on Netanyahu's nearly unbroken 17-year rule and a choice between different visions for the country's future. The initial results show a deeply divided electorate with multiple fault lines. Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error…
4 takeaways from Israel's inconclusive election
In short
Benjamin Netanyahu's religious and ultranationalist bloc fell short of the 61-seat threshold needed to govern, even as his right-wing Likud secured the largest share of individual seats. To remain in power, the longtime leader must lure defectors or convince resistant opposition figures to form an unexpected partnership. Meanwhile, chief rival Gadi Eisenkot holds a potential numerical edge but risks fracturing anti-Netanyahu factions if he seeks an alliance with Arab-led parties. Official tallies are expected by Thursday or Friday, inaugurating weeks of fraught negotiations.
Key points
- Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor his political rivals currently command a straightforward p…: Neither Benjamin Netanyahu nor his political rivals currently command a straightforward path to establishing a governing coalition.
- Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot faces intense resistance from Jewish-led factions over po…: Opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot faces intense resistance from Jewish-led factions over potentially partnering with Arab-led parties.
- Failure to assemble a viable governing majority during the upcoming weeks of negotiations…: Failure to assemble a viable governing majority during the upcoming weeks of negotiations could trigger another election.