Herzog begins coalition talks after Netanyahu bloc loses majority

Israeli President Isaac Herzog accepted the certified results of the October 27 parliamentary vote on Wednesday. This move ended Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempt to dispute the outcome. Herzog immediately began consultations with party leaders to determine who will form the next government.

Netanyahu lost his majority in the 120-seat parliament during the election. His coalition secured 53 seats. The bloc led by opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot won 48 seats. Neither group reached the 61 seats required to govern. Arab-led parties gained ground, with Ra’am and the Joint List securing a record 19 seats combined.

Herzog started his meetings with party heads on Wednesday night. Three factions aligned with Netanyahu’s religious-nationalist base recommended him for the role. A fourth faction, led by a former Netanyahu ally, backed Eisenkot. Eight other parties, including the two Arab-led groups, are scheduled to meet with the president on Thursday. Eisenkot’s Yashar party and Netanyahu’s Likud will be the last to appear.

Ra’am, a major Arab-led party, announced it would recommend Eisenkot. According to the Israeli news site Ynet, this brought his expected support to 56 lawmakers. He still lacks the majority needed to govern. The Joint List has not yet announced its position. Channel 12 reported that the party is expected to coordinate with Eisenkot. Its 11 seats could push his total past 61.

Netanyahu's bloc may not deliver all 53 votes. Degel HaTorah, which holds four of United Torah Judaism's seven seats, said it would recommend neither candidate. The ultra-Orthodox faction broke with Netanyahu over the failure to pass legislation exempting Haredi men from military service. The Times of Israel reported that this split creates uncertainty for the prime minister.

The elections commission stated earlier on Wednesday that it found no evidence of irregularities. The commission conducted a thorough investigation of all claims of fraud. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara also rejected a request to question elected officials without supporting evidence. Netanyahu and his supporters had claimed that Arab-led parties stolen the election, possibly with foreign assistance.

Herzog urged both camps to compromise to avoid a new election. He said leaders must accept that not every commitment can be fulfilled. Herzog has several days to announce his decision on who gets the mandate. The chosen candidate will have 28 days to form a government, with a possible 14-day extension. If neither man succeeds, Israel will hold another election early next year.

The president warned against smearing Palestinian-Israeli voters. He noted that this group makes up about 20 percent of the population. Herzog said he had great respect for the minority. He condemned the coarseness and racist expressions heard recently. The consultations continue as parties negotiate their positions.