Photo: JEWEL SAMAD,MAYA LEVIN / AFP / Getty Images
With 95% of votes counted in the Israeli election, there is still no clear winner. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and its allies are currently leading, but they fall short of a majority needed to govern. The centrist Yashar party, led by former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, is the next closest contender. In Israel, voters elect parties that then form coalitions to achieve a majority in the 120-seat parliament, known as the Knesset.
Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, remains the caretaker leader as parties negotiate their next steps. According to The Guardian, the election results have left Netanyahu without a governing majority, and his political future may depend on whether opposition Jewish parties will collaborate with Arab parties, which have gained significant support.
The Central Elections Committee reported that Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 seats, while the opposition has 67 seats, divided between Jewish-led and Arab-led parties. The CNN noted that the Arab parties could play a crucial role in forming a new government, but cooperation with them remains contentious.
The possibility of a unity government or another election looms if coalition-building efforts fail. As reported by Al Jazeera, opposition leader Yair Golan has expressed openness to including Arab parties in a coalition, but challenges remain due to differing political stances.