Israel count: Netanyahu bloc slips to 53 seats, Arab parties hit record 19

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc has slipped to 53 seats in Israel's 120-seat Knesset, the parliament, as counting from the October 27, 2026 election neared its end, down from the 56 seats it held in earlier partial counts. With about 91% of votes counted by Wednesday, October 28, the bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot had 48 seats and Arab-majority parties had 19, their highest ever, according to the Central Elections Committee figures reported by Israeli media. No bloc has the 61 seats needed for a majority, and the committee has begun counting absentee and other special ballots, which could still shift the result slightly.

Our earlier report showed Netanyahu's bloc ahead with 56 seats on a partial count. As more votes were counted, the bloc lost three of those seats, making it much harder for Netanyahu to form a government with his current partners. A 53-seat bloc would need at least eight more seats from outside its ranks to reach a majority.

The opposition's arithmetic is complicated too. Together, the Eisenkot bloc and the Arab-majority parties have 67 seats, more than 61. But Eisenkot has rejected serving under Netanyahu, including in a rotation arrangement where the two would take turns as prime minister, and parts of the opposition have long resisted relying on Arab parties to form a government. That leaves several possible outcomes: a broad coalition formed through difficult compromises, a minority government supported from outside, a caretaker period, or another election.

The record result for Arab-majority parties is significant in itself. Their 19 seats, four more than their previous best of 15 in 2020, give them more weight than ever in the Knesset. Within that total, the United Arab List, known as Ra'am, rose to eight seats while the Joint List slipped to 11 as counting progressed. Reports say they could play a key role in coalition-building, although how that would work is not yet clear.

For India, the result decides who New Delhi will deal with in Jerusalem. This month Netanyahu invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi to light a torch at an Israeli ceremony together with Indian pilot Smit Machchhar, a sign of the personal ties between the two leaders. A long period of coalition talks would leave Israel with a caretaker government while those ties and pending bilateral plans wait.

Short-term: Final results, including special ballots, are still being counted. Once results are certified, Israel's president consults party leaders on who should get the first chance to form a government.

Long-term: If neither bloc can build a stable majority, Israel could face a long period of coalition talks or a return to the polls, delaying major decisions on security and the economy.

Who is affected: Israeli voters and parties; Arab citizens of Israel, whose parties now hold a record number of seats; Israel's partners, including India and the United States.

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