Arab Parties Gain 16 Seats, Netanyahu Bloc at 56 After 60% Vote Count

With approximately 60% of votes counted, totaling 3,413,319 ballots, Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc has secured 56 seats, while the bloc led by the leader of a bloc holds 48 seats. Arab parties collectively garnered 16 seats. Preliminary results show the Likud party with 16 seats, Yisrael Beiteinu with 8, Shas with 7, and Otzma Yehudit with 7. Other parties include Yachad with 11 seats, Hadash-Ta'al with 8, Yahadut HaTorah with 8, and Hatnuah HaTzionit with 6. The United Arab List received 4 seats. Speaking at the Likud headquarters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu highlighted Israel's military achievements and suggested the possibility of resuming joint operations against Iran with U.S. President Donald Trump. He stated that Israel has a unique historical opportunity to permanently eliminate the Iranian existential threat in cooperation with President Trump, warning against allowing hidden motives to interfere with this "sacred mission." Earlier, the leader of a bloc cautioned Netanyahu against using Israel's security for political purposes, calling the acting prime minister "without a mandate or the people's trust." the leader of a bloc urged the security establishment to resist any attempts to prioritize political interests over national security. The Central Elections Committee reported a 77.7% voter turnout, the highest in over two decades and approximately seven percentage points higher than the 2022 elections.