Israeli election results confirmed as Herzog asks Gadi Eisenkot to form a government

Neither bloc wins a majority

Israelis elected the 26th Knesset on Tuesday 27 October 2026. The Central Elections Committee released its final results overnight on 29–30 October. Neither bloc reached an absolute majority of 61 seats ¹¹². Outgoing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats, the opposition 48 and the two Arab lists 19, a record for the Arab lists according to the Jerusalem Post ¹².

Likud won 27 seats, Yashar (Gadi Eisenkot) 21, B’Yachad (Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid) 12, the Joint List 11, the Democrats (Yair Golan) 8, Ra’am (Mansour Abbas) 8, Yisrael Beytenu (Avigdor Liberman) 7, United Torah Judaism 7, Otzma Yehudit 7, Shas 6 and Religious Zionism 6 ¹². Three lists fell below the 3.25% threshold: the Reservists (2.7%), the People of Israel (1.7%) and the Haredi Public (0.2%) ¹.

The Elections Committee counted 5,716,665 ballots cast, a turnout of 77.9% ¹.

President receives the results despite challenges

On the evening of 3 November, Justice Noam Sohlberg, chair of the Elections Committee, rejected a fresh request to postpone certification, writing that no body had “the legal authority to delay” publication ³. At midday on 4 November, he delivered the official results to President Isaac Herzog at the presidential residence in Jerusalem and warned that casting doubt on the election posed “a real danger” to democracy ³⁴. Herzog condemned recent “crude and racist” remarks about the Arab community ³. According to Channel 12, quoted by the Times of Israel, a Likud lawyer was the only representative of Netanyahu’s bloc at the ceremony ³.

On 29 October, Likud had called for an investigation into alleged fraud that it blamed on the Arab parties, an allegation Mansour Abbas denied ². Likud subsequently announced that it intended to petition the Jerusalem District Court, probably before the 17 November deadline. According to its lawyer, Ilan Bombach, its election observers filed 700 complaints on polling day over the use of an app to track turnout, which the High Court had banned shortly before the election ⁵. A volunteer organisation, the Election Civil Guard, recorded 374 instances of apparently illegal use of such apps, attributing 32% to Likud activists ⁵.

Consultations yield 67 recommendations to 46

Herzog began consultations with the parliamentary factions on the evening of Wednesday 4 November ⁴. Ra’am announced that day that it would recommend Eisenkot ³. The Joint List followed suit on 5 November, with one of its lawmakers, Yousef Jabareen, describing a choice “between bad and worse” ⁶. The Democrats, Yisrael Beytenu and B’Yachad also recommended the Yashar leader ⁶.

On the evening of 5 November, the president announced the tally: 67 lawmakers for Eisenkot and 46 for Netanyahu. United Torah Judaism backed neither ⁶⁷. “The results of the consultations appear clear,” said Herzog, who said he would decide on Sunday. His choice was announced on Saturday 7 November, and he handed over the mandate on Sunday 8 November ⁶⁷⁸¹³. That same day, in his first video since the election, Netanyahu warned against a government dependent on the Arab parties ⁶.

Eisenkot receives the mandate on 8 November

At a ceremony at the presidential residence on Sunday 8 November, Herzog formally asked Gadi Eisenkot to form a government, saying he had received “the clear and unequivocal support of a majority of lawmakers” ⁸⁹. Eisenkot has 28 days, with a possible extension of 14, to form a government. A minority government can also take office if it wins the Knesset’s confidence. If Eisenkot fails, the president can give the task to another lawmaker or inform the Knesset speaker that he sees no possibility of forming a government ⁸¹⁰¹². Eisenkot called for “the formation of a national emergency government” and said he was open to Netanyahu taking part. Netanyahu released a video calling for a unity government ⁸.

The new Knesset is due to be sworn in on 10 November ¹. Yashar invited Shas and United Torah Judaism to support replacing Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana ¹⁰.

Obstacles to a coalition

The numbers are still difficult. On 9 November, Avigdor Liberman reiterated his opposition to a minority government supported by the Arab parties and denied holding secret talks with the ultra-Orthodox parties ¹¹. Yair Golan replied on X that Liberman was “free to form a government with Netanyahu” ¹¹. US President Donald Trump said on 9 November that Eisenkot and Netanyahu were “very similar” politically ¹⁰.

Sources

1. Times of Israel, « Central Elections Committee publishes final election results, Knesset to be sworn in Nov. 10 », 30 octobre 2026, https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/central-elections-committee-publishes-final-election-results-knesset-to-be-sworn-in-nov-10/
2. Jerusalem Post, « Israel Election 2026: Netanyahu's Likud remains Israel's biggest party », 29 octobre 2026, https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-913237
3. Times of Israel, direct du 4 novembre 2026 (entrées de 23 h 22 le 3 novembre, 12 h 06, 12 h 38, 13 h 02, 13 h 29 et 19 h 50), https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-november-4-2026/
4. Haaretz, « Herzog Launches Coalition Talks; Eisenkot Leads in Endorsements to Form Gov't », 4 novembre 2026, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2026-11-04/ty-article/.premium/herzog-launches-coalition-talks-eisenkot-leads-in-endorsements-to-form-govt/000001a1-a702-db8d-a9f7-a7ce86290000
5. Times of Israel (édition française), « Le Likud veut contester les résultats des élections pour soupçons de suivi illégal des électeurs », novembre 2026 (consulté le 9 novembre 2026), https://fr.timesofisrael.com/le-likud-veut-contester-les-resultats-des-elections-pour-soupcons-de-suivi-illegal-des-electeurs/
6. Haaretz, direct « Herzog to Decide Sunday Who Gets Mandate to Form Government », 5 novembre 2026, https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/elections/2026-11-05/ty-article-live/netanyahu-warns-against-arab-jewish-coalition-in-first-appearance-since-election/000001a1-a9ee-defa-a7f7-adfff1720000
7. Times of Israel, direct du 5 novembre 2026 (entrées de 15 h 58, 22 h 10, 22 h 17 et 22 h 36), https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-november-5-2026/
8. ABC News, « Netanyahu challenger Eisenkot tasked with forming new Israeli government », 8 novembre 2026, https://abcnews.com/International/netanyahu-challenger-eisenkot-tasked-forming-new-government/story?id=137945429
9. Times of Israel (édition française), « Herzog remet officiellement à Eisenkot le mandat de former le prochain gouvernement », 8 novembre 2026, https://fr.timesofisrael.com/herzog-remet-officiellement-a-eisenkot-le-mandat-de-former-le-prochain-gouvernement/
10. Times of Israel, direct du 9 novembre 2026 (entrées de 2 h 22, 12 h 19 et 13 h 15), https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-november-9-2026/
11. Times of Israel (édition française), « Golan fustige Liberman : « Il est libre de former un gouvernement avec Netanyahu » », 9 novembre 2026, https://fr.timesofisrael.com/golan-fustige-liberman-il-est-libre-de-former-un-gouvernement-avec-netanyahu/
12. Knesset, Loi fondamentale sur le gouvernement, articles 8 à 13, https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/activity/Documents/BasicLawsPDF/BasicLawTheGovernment.pdf
13. Associated Press, annonce du choix d’Isaac Herzog, 7 novembre 2026, https://apnews.com/article/75934bfce1f2f2e43e1823de3761b12d

The story in 30 seconds

Read the main facts at a glance and share the link.

1. Final results on 30 October: Likud 27 seats, Yashar 21. Netanyahu’s bloc won 53, the opposition 48 and the Arab lists 19. Turnout was 77.9%.
2. On 5 November, 67 lawmakers recommended Gadi Eisenkot and 46 backed Benjamin Netanyahu. United Torah Judaism recommended no one.
3. On 8 November, Herzog gave Eisenkot 28 days, with a possible 14-day extension, to form a government.

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