الانتخابات الاسرائيلية

Where things stand

Results from the 26th Knesset election, held on Tuesday 27 October 2026, remain incomplete; the Central Elections Committee said it would publish results gradually while counting of the 'double envelopes' — ballots of soldiers, prisoners and diplomats — continues. A committee official told Yedioth Ahronoth that this count begins at midnight and ends the following day, while Avigdor Liberman estimated that the real results would not be known before Friday morning. Figures differ depending on the share of votes counted: reports in Hebrew outlets gave Netanyahu's camp 59 seats against 46 for the opposition after about a third of votes, then 55 against 50 with 15 for Arab parties at 48%, then 55 against 49 with 16 at 51.8%, while Israel Hayom reported that with all votes counted except the double envelopes Netanyahu had 53 seats and Eisenkot 48. Netanyahu claimed his right-wing bloc had won a 'clear and decisive majority' and called for a 'strong national right-wing government' not dependent on Arab parties; meanwhile media cited Israel's Channel 13 as saying 'Netanyahu has ended his career', and other reports spoke of Likud acknowledging defeat — conflicting accounts not yet settled by official results. Channel 12 reported Arab voter turnout in Israel at 80% and described the Arab lists' showing as 'historic', while Yedioth Ahronoth put final overall turnout at 77.7%. Official results are expected in the coming hours and days after the double envelopes are counted, followed by consultations on forming a government, amid continued argument over which party is largest and the size of the blocs.

• Israel's Central Elections Committee says it will publish results gradually, and that counting of the 'double envelopes' begins at midnight and ends the next day, according to a committee official quoted by Yedioth Ahronoth.
• Figures vary with the share counted: 59 to 46 after about a third of votes, then 55 to 50 with 15 for Arab parties at 48%, then 55 to 49 with 16 at 51.8%, while Israel Hayom reported 53 for Netanyahu against 48 for Eisenkot with all votes counted except the double envelopes.
• Netanyahu claims his bloc won a 'clear and decisive majority' and calls for a 'strong national right-wing government' not dependent on Arab parties, citing a 'historic opportunity' with US President Donald Trump on Iran, while media cited Channel 13 saying 'Netanyahu has ended his career' and reports of Likud acknowledging defeat.
• Channel 12 says Arab voter turnout in Israel reached 80% and described the Arab lists' showing as 'historic', while Yedioth Ahronoth put final turnout at 77.7%; Liberman estimated the real results would not be known before Friday morning.
• The Central Elections Committee issued a temporary order barring the 'Torah Judaism' party from relaying real-time information on voters' identities inside polling stations; Likud barred its members from speaking to media, and reports covered Sara Netanyahu interrupting a campaign call with the phrase 'we will all die'.