Netanyahu's bloc loses majority in Israeli election

Israel's election results have left Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu without a parliamentary majority, setting the stage for complex coalition negotiations. Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats, while the main opposition secured 48, with Arab-led parties capturing 19 seats for the first time in history.

President Isaac Herzog will be tasked with determining who will form the next government. This could be Netanyahu, the leader of the party with the most votes, or another party leader deemed most suitable by the political factions involved.

Netanyahu and his Likud party have raised unsubstantiated allegations that Arab-led parties may have committed electoral misconduct, potentially with foreign assistance. These claims were made in the hours before final results were announced, though they have not been verified.

The head of Israel's election committee, Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg, stated that 'serious suspicions' of foreign interference had been brought forward but could not confirm the allegations. The committee has asked the Shin Bet security agency to investigate, though it emphasized that the allegations do not affect the final election results.

Opposition leaders, including Gadi Eisenkot, are now considering potential alliances with Arab parties to form a government. If Netanyahu loses power, he could face legal action over corruption allegations and an inquiry into security failures before the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

Coalition talks are expected to begin soon, with the new Knesset set to be sworn in on November 10. The opposition may seek to assert control over the parliamentary agenda by forming alliances with Arab parties, a move that has only happened briefly before in 2021.