Israel election may yield deadlock as Netanyahu and Eisenkot fall short

Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot face an election with neither bloc assured a majority. The result could leave smaller parties deciding between deadlock, minority rule and national unity.Stock photo used for illustrationJerusalem,Oct 27, 2026 19:54 ISTIsrael could face political deadlock, a minority government or the formation of a national unity government if neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger, Gadi Eisenkot, secures a majority in Tuesday's parliamentary election, experts told news agency Press Trust of India.A party or coalition needs the support of at least 61 lawmakers in the 120-member Knesset. With neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition appearing likely to cross that mark on its own, smaller parties, including Arab-led groups, could play a crucial role in deciding who forms the next government.Senior Israeli journalist and political commentator Yaron Deckel said the outcome would depend on the final seat tally and the ability of the rival camps to secure support from smaller parties.Thirty-four parties are contesting the election. Deckel said the result could hinge not only on the number of seats won by the main blocs but also on negotiations after the election. A party must secure at least 3.25 per cent of the vote to enter parliament. The threshold encourages smaller parties to form alliances before the election, while Israel's proportional representation system allows several parties to win seats.Netanyahu, 77, is seeking another term as leader of the right-wing Likud party after a period marked by the October 2023 attack, in which around 1,200 people were killed, and the subsequent Israeli military campaigns in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran. He is also facing a long-running corruption trial. Netanyahu faces charges of fraud, breach of trust and bribery, which he denies. The International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for him in 2024 over alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.His main rival, 66-year-old former army chief Eisenkot, previously served as an observer in Netanyahu's war cabinet. He later resigned after criticising the government for lacking a clear war strategy.Former prime minister Naftali Bennett is another prominent opposition figure and is leading an alliance with centrist leader Yair Lapid. Bennett, a right-wing politician, has also criticised Netanyahu's handling of security and governance. He served as prime minister in 2021 under a power-sharing arrangement with Lapid.Other political players include Yair Golan's Democrats, Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beiteinu and Arab-led parties such as Ra'am and the Joint List. Netanyahu's potential partners include far-right parties led by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, as well as ultra-Orthodox parties.Deckel told reporters in Jerusalem that neither the opposition camp nor Netanyahu's bloc appeared positioned to secure 61 seats on its own, leaving both sides dependent on smaller parties and possible coalition partners. Arab parties could help determine whether an opposition candidate receives enough parliamentary support to form a government, he said.The first possible outcome is a deadlock in which neither side can put together a viable coalition. Deckel said commitments made by parties during the campaign could make an agreement difficult. He warned that prolonged uncertainty would be damaging in view of Israel's security situation.Once the results are declared, President Isaac Herzog will consult political factions and appoint the lawmaker considered most likely to form a coalition. The nominee will have up to 42 days to form a government supported by at least 61 lawmakers.If the first attempt fails, another candidate may be given the opportunity. If no government can be formed, Israel may have to hold another election.The second possibility is a minority government. According to Deckel, Arab parties could recommend a candidate to the president without formally joining the government, helping that candidate receive the mandate to try to form a coalition.Such a government could still lack a stable parliamentary majority. Israel has had minority governments after coalitions collapsed during a parliamentary term, but forming one immediately after an election would be unusual, Deckel said. A government without dependable majority support could come under pressure to call another election.The third scenario is a national unity government involving major rival parties. Deckel said the security situation could give the main political camps a reason to consider such an arrangement, although they would need to agree on leadership and policy."There is no bad blood between Netanyahu and Eisenkot unlike other opposition leaders," Deckel said.A rotating premiership, under which rival leaders serve successive terms, is another possible arrangement in a national unity government. Deckel described it as unlikely but not impossible, citing the difficulty of ensuring that a leader hands over office as agreed.Pavan Chaurasia, an assistant professor at Delhi University, told PTI in Jerusalem that Eisenkot's military background and lack of previous public office had become important parts of the debate around his candidacy."For his supporters, he is considered to be the right choice to lead the country owing to him being an outsider to the political dispensation of Israel and holding no public charges of corruption," Chaurasia said."They also believe that he would understand the security of Israel far better than others as he has led the IDF in the past," he added.Chaurasia agreed that the election could result in a deadlock, a minority government or a national unity arrangement. He said Netanyahu continued to have considerable support among sections of the Israeli electorate and remained a contender to form the next government.The final vote tally is expected by October 30, while the official results are scheduled to be published on November 4. Even after the count, coalition negotiations could continue for weeks, with smaller parties potentially deciding whether Israel gets a viable coalition, a minority government or a national unity arrangement.With PTI Inputs- Ends