Israel elections, Netanyahu ahead but without majority: waiting for special votes

In Israel, the counting of special votes continues, i.e. the ballots of voters who voted from hospitals, war zones or diplomats from abroad, while the counting has so far reached approximately 92.7% of the ballots. However, the picture remains without a majority: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is credited with 53 seats, compared to 48 for the coalition led by Gadi Eisenkot. While the Arab parties obtained a total of 19 seats, with an unprecedented turnout from the Arab community. The Israeli Prime Minister's Likud remains the first party with 26 seats, followed by Eisenkot's Yashar with 21. Neither of the two blocs independently reached the threshold of 61 seats necessary for a majority in the Knesset. Meanwhile, Israeli police have denied Likud claims that the elections were "stolen" by Arab parties.

Herzog: "Avoid another election"

In the next few days, Israeli President Isaac Herzog is expected to meet Netanyahu and Eisenkot - separately - before the final results are published and the consultations begin - to begin testing the feasibility of a national unity government. Herzog then clarified that "we must do everything possible to avoid another election." Then he added: "I expect anyone who comes here to present themselves with an open mind."

Eisenkot: “I will act for a government of Zionist change and for military conscription"

After the near-final election results were released, Eisenkot declared that "more long days of work await us, but we are focused on the arduous task entrusted to us: bringing change to Israel and establishing a Zionist and military-service government." Then he added: "This is the will of the people who expressed distrust in the government of the failure of October 7 and the defectors. A bloc that is at the lowest point in its history in twenty years." Party leader Yashar then underlined that he "felt the weight of the responsibility and trust that hundreds of thousands of citizens who believe in the State of Israel and Zionism have given me". And again: "Thanks to you, we have made history: in just one year, we have founded a new pan-Israeli party in Israel that represents a valid alternative to the government. We will face the great challenge that awaits us, we will complete it and we will be successful."

The scrutiny of double envelopes

As for the ballots of voters who voted from hospitals, war zones or diplomats from abroad, the so-called "double envelopes", around 29 thousand out of over 400 thousand have currently been scrutinized. According to what has emerged, the Likud party is currently in the lead, with 18.5% of the votes counted so far. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar movement follows with 15.6%. According to experts cited by Ynet, the final count of double envelopes is unlikely to significantly change current seat allocation projections.

The police deny fraud

The police denied the accusations of the Likud, which in recent hours had denounced "electoral fraud by Arab parties that support terrorism and the elimination of the Jewish state". “Election day occurred with very few irregular incidents affecting the integrity of the vote, even when compared to previous elections,” a police source said. As the source reiterated, "there is no evidence, neither investigative nor intelligence, to support these accusations." In recent hours, an official from the Central Electoral Commission (CEC) had also rejected the complaints of fraud. Before the vote, Hebrew-language media had reported that the Likud planned to contest the results from Arab localities and claim that the election had been "stolen" if Netanyahu did not win. The party had in fact prepared in advance a series of complaints and accusations of fraud.