Lucrezia Ciotti Israel 's legislative elections are closing with a still uncertain picture: the partial results reveal a substantial stalemate between Benjamin Netanyahu's bloc and the opposition forces. Donald Trump is claiming his support is playing a role in the prime minister's comeback, aiming to form a right-wing government and ruling out a cabinet supported by Arab parties.
Israeli Elections: Netanyahu Leads with 20,81%
With ballot counting still underway, the Israeli legislative elections of October 27 reveal an uncertain political landscape. According to partial data released by the Central Election Commission, with 57,3% of the votes counted , the bloc supporting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was credited with 55 seats, compared to 49 for the forces opposing the prime minister.
These are provisional results, which will be updated as the counting continues. Among the lists that, at that stage, did not reach the 3,25% threshold were the Reservists, with 2,6%, the People of Israel, with 1,7%, and Charedi Public, with 0,2%. Votes cast in the so-called "double envelopes" also remain to be counted, including those cast by military personnel, which could influence the distribution of seats.
The Times of Israel reports.
The key issue remains the possibility of building a parliamentary majority : in the 120-member Knesset, at least 61 seats are needed to support a government. Even the polls released after the polls closed revealed a race without a clear winner, with the Arab parties credited with a total of around 18 seats, a potentially significant result for the political balance. Their representation could therefore become crucial in subsequent negotiations, although Netanyahu has ruled out the possibility of relying on a government supported by Israeli Arab parties.
Trump attributes Netanyahu's comeback to his support: the prime minister calls for a right-wing government
US President Donald Trump weighed in on the Israeli election in a message published on Truth, claiming that his endorsement helped change the course of the race. " When President Trump expressed his support for Bibi Netanyahu , the situation completely changed ," he wrote, describing the result as an unexpected comeback that would have led to a stalemate, if not an outright victory for the prime minister. In his speech, the American leader also stated that the support was motivated by a desire to benefit " the Middle East, Israel, and the United States of America ." This is Trump's proposed political interpretation, while the still incomplete results make it impossible to determine which coalition will form the next government.
From Likud headquarters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu reiterated the goal of forming a "strong" and right-wing government , calling on the forces of the Jewish and Zionist majority to unite. The prime minister criticized the willingness of some parties to collaborate with the Arab lists , calling it " a disgrace ," and reiterated his opposition to a government dependent on their support. In his speech to supporters, he also highlighted collaboration with Trump as an opportunity to address the Iranian issue: " Israel faces a historic and unrepeatable opportunity, together with our friend President Trump, to eliminate the Iranian threat once and for all ." Netanyahu then touted the results achieved on the security front and expressed confidence in the country's ability to face future challenges. The path to forming a government, however, remains dependent on the parliamentary balance and the agreements the parties manage to reach in the coming weeks.