Israel Election Results: Netanyahu Bloc Leads as 94% of Votes Counted
Translated & summarized from NEWSru Israel by baba
Israel's Central Election Committee reported that with 94.4% of votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win 53 seats in the 26th Knesset elections. The opposition is projected to secure 48 seats, and Arab parties 19 seats. The counting of "double envelope" votes, including those from soldiers and other special categories, is ongoing and could impact the final results. Official results are due by November 4, 2026.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc is projected to win 53 seats in Israel's 26th Knesset elections with 94.4% of votes counted.
- The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is projected to secure 48 seats, while Arab parties are expected to win 19 seats.
- Vote counting continues for "double envelope" ballots, which could affect the final seat distribution.
- Neither of the two main political blocs has reached the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.
- The final official election results are expected to be published by November 4, 2026.
As of Thursday morning, October 29th, Israel's Central Election Committee has released updated preliminary results for the 26th Knesset elections. With approximately 94.4% of votes counted, representing over 5.37 million ballots, preliminary projections show Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc securing 53 seats. The opposition agreement led by Gadi Eisenkot's party is projected to win 48 seats, while two Arab parties together are expected to gain 19 seats. These figures remain consistent with the previous counting stage, where about 93.8% of votes were processed.
Detailed projections indicate the Likud party, led by Netanyahu, receiving 26 seats. Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar party is projected to get 21 seats. Naftali Bennett's Bayit Yehudi party is expected to secure 12 seats. The Joint List, including parties led by Yusuf Jabarin, Ahmad Tibi, and Sami Abu Shehadeh, is projected to win 11 seats. Yair Golan's Democrats are estimated to receive 8 seats, and Mansour Abbas's Ra'am party also 8 seats. Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu is projected for 7 seats, as are Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit, Yaakov Asher's United Torah Judaism, and Aryeh Deri's Shas. Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin's Religious Zionism and Zehut parties are projected to win 6 seats. Parties like Derech Eretz, led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelicha, and Ofer Winter's Amcha Yisrael, are currently below the 3.25% electoral threshold.
The current distribution shows Netanyahu's coalition parties (Likud, Shas, United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, Religious Zionism) with a combined 53 seats. The four opposition parties (Yashar, Bayit Yehudi, Yisrael Beiteinu, Democrats) are projected to have 48 seats. The two Arab parties (Joint List and Ra'am) are expected to hold 19 seats. This totals 120 seats, with neither major bloc reaching the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority.
Vote counting is ongoing, including ballots from "double envelopes," which include votes from soldiers, individuals with disabilities, hospital patients, prisoners, and diplomats. The Central Election Committee estimates between 430,000 and 480,000 such ballots. The final official results are expected no later than November 4, 2026. The inclusion of these votes could potentially alter the seat distribution and the overall bloc totals.
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