Netanyahu short of majority as Israeli Arab parties emerge kingmakers

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces an uncertain path to government formation after election results showed his political bloc has captured 54 parliamentary seats, leaving him nine seats shy of the 61-seat threshold required for a governing majority. The opposition camp led by Gadi Eisenkot has secured 49 seats with 77 per cent of ballots counted, also well short of a majority. The results highlight the fractured nature of Israeli politics and suggest that Arab-led parties, traditionally marginalised in coalition negotiations, could hold decisive sway in determining which bloc forms the next government. Netanyahu has previously relied on right-wing and religious parties to cobble together majority coalitions, but the current electoral outcome suggests such traditional pathways may prove insufficient. The final composition of parliament and potential coalition arrangements remain unclear pending completion of vote counting, with negotiations likely to intensify once results are fully tallied.