--- title: "Netanyahu's Bloc Leads Knesset Elections But Falls Short of Majority: Key to Power Lies with Arab Parties" description: "With 66.2% of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc in the Knesset elections wins 56 seats—five short of a majority. Eisenkot's opposition is set to win 48, leaving Arab parties holding the potential key to power. Official results expected November 4." date: 2026-10-28T12:00:36.045Z lang: en url: https://xab.info/en/posts/knesset-elections-2026-netanyahu-bloc-leads-majority tags: [israel-elections, knesset, netanyahu, eisenkot, israel-politics, liberman] author: "Alexander Buran" publisher: "XAB.info" --- # Netanyahu's Bloc Leads Knesset Elections But Falls Short of Majority: Key to Power Lies with Arab Parties ![Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters from a podium surrounded by party members during Israeli elections](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/28/vibory-v-knesset-2026-blok-netanyahu-lidiru-no-bolsinstva/vibory-v-knesset-2026-blok-netanyahu-lidiru-no-bolsinstva-1.webp) ## Key Points - Preliminary data shows Netanyahu's bloc winning 56 out of 120 Knesset seats, falling five short of the required majority. - Gadi Eisenkot's opposition coalition is projected to win 48 seats, with Arab parties securing around 16. - No bloc has reached 61 mandates; Arab parties could prove decisive in government formation. - Avigdor Lieberman called on Likud lawmakers to break away from Netanyahu and opposes a coalition with Arab parties. - US President Donald Trump stated his support aided Netanyahu's bloc; official results are due November 4. Following the Israeli parliamentary elections held on October 27, 2026, the bloc led by incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is maintaining its lead according to preliminary data, yet it falls short of the number of mandates required to form a government alone. Based on 66.2% of the votes counted, Netanyahu's coalition is expected to secure 56 seats in the 120-seat Knesset—five seats short of a majority. Official results are promised by November 4, while counting continues and figures remain subject to change. ### Netanyahu's Bloc Ahead, But Falls Short of Majority Among individual parties, Netanyahu's Likud maintains the lead in seat count with a projected 27 seats. It is followed by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar with 21 seats. The Together coalition and the predominantly Arab list are estimated to win 11 seats each. The Democratic Party and the United Jewish Alliance may secure 9 seats each, Yisrael Beiteinu 8, Shas and Otzma Yehudit 7 each, Religious Zionism 6, and the United Arab List (Ra'am) 4. According to the Central Election Commission, no bloc has currently reached the 61 seats needed to form a parliamentary majority. ### Eisenkot's Opposition and the Decisive Role of Arab Parties The opposition coalition led by former army chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot is projected by Israeli media to win 48 seats, while parties representing predominantly Arab voters will secure the remaining 16. These exact 16 mandates could prove decisive: with the support of Arab lawmakers, the opposition block could reach 64 seats and form a government. Thus, Arab parties are expected to play a significant role in determining the future cabinet, regardless of which side they end up supporting. ### Lieberman's Call and the Minority Government Scenario Amid speculation over the potential formation of a minority government backed by Arab lawmakers, Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman called on Likud deputies to rebel against Netanyahu. According to Israel's Channel 12, Lieberman accused the prime minister of "destroying the nationalist movement" and stated that he must step down from politics. Reportedly, he opposes the scenario of relying on Arab parties and seeks to lure away some deputies from the center-right Likud to help Eisenkot's bloc secure a majority without such support. ### Washington's Stance Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump stated that his public endorsement of Netanyahu significantly helped the Israeli prime minister's supporting bloc achieve results that exceeded expectations. On October 25, Trump expressed "full and unwavering support" for Netanyahu amid the political pressure the prime minister faced regarding security issues, the situation in Gaza, and Israel's international standing. ### What's Next According to Israeli election authorities, turnout in the parliamentary elections stood at 77.7%, the highest figure since 1999. Vote counting continues, with official results expected on November 4. Afterward, Israeli President Isaac Herzog will hold consultations with party leaders and task the candidate he assesses to have the best chance of building a coalition with forming a government. The key question remains whether Netanyahu's bloc or Eisenkot's bloc will manage to gather 61 mandates—and with the help of which partners. ## Accounts differ ### Share of counted votes and number of block mandates - **Data based on 66.2% vote count (article foundation, citing Yediot Aharonot and CEC):** Netanyahu's bloc — 56 seats, Eisenkot's bloc — 48, Arab parties — 16 seats. ([vietnam.vn](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/bau-cu-israel-khoi-cua-ong-netanyahu-dan-truoc-tong-thong-trump-khang-dinh-gop-cong)) - **Israel Central Election Commission per Rambler (slice at 72% of votes):** Netanyahu's bloc — 54 mandates, Eisenkot's bloc — 48, Arab parties — 18 mandates. ([sport.rambler.ru](https://sport.rambler.ru/chess/57317092-partiya-netanyahu-lidiruet-posle-podscheta-72-protsentov-golosov/)) *Where they agree:* Netanyahu's bloc is leading, Eisenkot's block is in second place, neither block has reached 61 mandates for a majority; official results are expected on November 4. ## Fact-Check & Sources - [Израильские выборы: блок Нетаньяху лидирует, президент Трамп утверждает, что внес свой вклад в их результаты.](https://www.vietnam.vn/ru/bau-cu-israel-khoi-cua-ong-netanyahu-dan-truoc-tong-thong-trump-khang-dinh-gop-cong) - Original source foundation: 66.2% of votes, Netanyahu block 56 seats, Eisenkot 48, Arab parties 16; turnout 77.7%; results on Nov 4; Trump statement and Lieberman appeal. - [Партия Нетаньяху лидирует после подсчета 72 процентов голосов](https://sport.rambler.ru/chess/57317092-partiya-netanyahu-lidiruet-posle-podscheta-72-protsentov-golosov/) - Interim slice at 72% of votes: Netanyahu block 54 mandates, Eisenkot 48, Arab parties 18; turnout nearly 80%; final count no later than Thursday, results on Nov 4; President Herzog's consultations. ## FAQ ### How many seats is Netanyahu's bloc projected to win? Based on 66.2% of votes counted, Netanyahu's bloc is expected to win 56 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, which is five seats short of the 61 majority needed. ### Who could play a decisive role in forming the government? Arab parties, projected to win around 16 seats. With their support, Eisenkot's opposition bloc could reach 64 seats and form a government. ### When will official results be announced? Official results are expected on November 4, after which Israeli President Isaac Herzog will consult with party leaders regarding government formation. ### What was the voter turnout? According to Israeli election authorities, voter turnout was 77.7%, the highest rate since 1999.