JERUSALEM, Oct. 28 (Xinhua) -- Counting of votes in Israel's parliamentary election continued on Wednesday, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, both claiming a mandate to lead the country, despite neither appearing to have secured the majority needed to form a government.
Israel now faces political uncertainty, with analysts pointing to several possible scenarios, including prolonged coalition negotiations, a unity government or another round of elections, while Arab parties could hold the key to breaking the deadlock.
WHAT DO THE RESULTS SHOW?
With about 85 percent of the votes counted, Netanyahu's right-wing and religious bloc was projected to win 53 seats in the 120-seat parliament, compared with 48 for Eisenkot's opposition bloc. The Arab-majority parties -- the Joint List, a coalition alliance of three parties, and the Muslim Ra'am party -- were projected to win a combined 19 seats.
The figures could still change, with votes cast under special voting arrangements yet to be counted, including those cast by soldiers, diplomats abroad and hospital patients. Final official results are expected by Nov. 4, according to a timetable issued by Israel's Central Elections Committee.
Israel's proportional electoral system adds to the uncertainty. Parties must win at least 3.25 percent of the national vote to enter parliament, meaning minor shifts in voting margins could significantly alter the distribution of seats.
WHO WILL FORM THE NEXT GOVERNMENT?
Securing the most seats does not automatically give a party leader the right to form a government.
Following the publication of official results, President Isaac Herzog will consult representatives of elected parties before assigning the mandate to the lawmaker he deems most likely to assemble a viable majority -- not necessarily the leader of the largest party or bloc.
The designated candidate will have 28 days to negotiate a coalition, with a possible extension of up to 14 days. If he fails, the president can assign another lawmaker to try to assemble a government.
Should that secondary attempt also collapse, a parliamentary majority can request a final opportunity to put forward a third candidate.
If all coalition attempts prove unsuccessful, parliament will automatically dissolve, forcing Israel into another election and extending the political stalemate for months.
In the interim, Netanyahu and his outgoing cabinet would remain in office as a caretaker government until a new government is formed.
On Wednesday, Israeli President Isaac Herzog said that every effort must be made to avoid another round of elections.
COULD ARAB PARTIES DECIDE WHO BECOMES PRIME MINISTER?
To avoid such a costly deadlock, attention has turned to whether Israel's Arab-majority parties, projected to control 19 seats, could hold the balance of power in the next parliament.
Both Ra'am and Joint List have expressed willingness to help Eisenkot's "change bloc" replace Netanyahu. Ra'am leader Mansour Abbas said Tuesday night that his party wanted to join a coalition led by the bloc. On Wednesday, Joint List leader Yousef Jabareen said the alliance was "ready and prepared to pave the way" for replacing Netanyahu's government through an unprecedented political partnership with Eisenkot's bloc.
"Change can only come through Jewish-Arab partnership, a genuine and equal partnership," Jabareen said in a post on social media platform X.
However, both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have rejected forming a government dependent on Arab parties. Eisenkot has repeatedly ruled out including them in his coalition or relying on their parliamentary support from outside it.
Despite this stance, divergent views remain within Eisenkot's alliance, as Yair Golan, leader of The Democrats within the "change bloc", on Wednesday urged his allies to abandon their refusal to cooperate with Arab parties.
One possible outcome could be a minority government supported by Arab lawmakers from outside the coalition, an arrangement that would require Eisenkot to reverse his election pledge against partnering with Arab parties.
Such reversals are not unprecedented in Israeli politics, where coalition negotiations have often forced party leaders to compromise on campaign promises. ■
