Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party and its allies won 53 seats in Parliament, falling short of the outright majority needed to form a government. The main opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, won 48.
Deadlock is possible, as neither the bloc of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main challenger have won a majority. But there are still paths to a new government.
The Arab parties have long been kept on the political sidelines. But stunning turnout by their supporters makes the Arab minority an Israeli political reality that cannot be ignored.
Votes are still being counted, but it appears that neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition nor the opposition alliance headed by Gadi Eisenkot will have a majority.
Supporters of the opposition movement that won Sunday’s election stormed the offices of a pro-government tabloid. Another news outlet apologized for years of “one-sided” coverage.
A banner for the Likud party and its leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, right, with the slogan, “The Right or Palestine.” Other candidates in the elections are to the left of it.
Supporters and opponents of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have expressed intense anxieties about isolation abroad, security at home and the future of Israel’s identity.
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s prime minister, speaking to supporters in the food court of a shopping mall in Holon, Israel, during a campaign visit this month.
Israelis head to the polls on Tuesday for an election that will determine the country’s next prime minister. But it can take weeks, months or longer to form a new government.