Herzog starts coalition talks after 120-seat Knesset leaves no clear winner

Israel’s President Isaac Herzog has started formal talks with political factions to determine who will attempt to build a new coalition, following the certification of last week’s general election results. The process began on Wednesday evening in Jerusalem after Justice Noam Sohlberg, chairman of the Central Elections Committee, handed the official tallies to the president. Neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor his rival Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist alliance secured the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

The election, held on October 27, produced a fragmented parliament that forces leaders to make compromises. Netanyahu’s Likud party and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox partners won 53 seats. Eisenkot’s Yashar party and three other opposition groups captured 48 seats. A surge in turnout among Arab voters allowed two alliances, the United Arab List and the Joint List, to win 19 seats combined. These parties are now potential kingmakers, although almost all Jewish parties pledged before the vote not to partner with them.

Herzog told party leaders that avoiding a second election requires flexibility. He stated that not every commitment and promise can be fulfilled if the factions want to build a stable government. The president has the discretion to invite any member of the Knesset to form a cabinet, not just the leader of the largest party. The chosen leader will have 28 days to assemble a coalition, with a possible 14-day extension if they prove they have a viable path to a majority.

Disagreements remain over the integrity of the vote. Electoral officials found no evidence of irregularities that would justify delaying the certification of results. However, the Shin Bet security service is investigating allegations of foreign interference. Sohlberg noted that intelligence suggests substantial funds from foreign states, some of which are hostile, flowed into Israel. He said further investigation is needed to determine the scale of this phenomenon with a high degree of certainty.

The dispute has drawn sharp reactions from both sides of the political divide. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir called on the Shin Bet to arrest the leaders of Arab parties to clarify suspicions. Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen accused Ben-Gvir and Netanyahu of trying to steal the election from the public. Eisenkot described the actions of Netanyahu and Likud as a veritable pogrom against democracy and the rule of law. These comments followed the Attorney-General’s rejection of a demand to interrogate four Arab politicians, citing a lack of evidence of wrongdoing.

Herzog addressed the tensions during the Wednesday ceremony. He expressed confidence in the Shin Bet’s ability to investigate the foreign interference claims and asked for patience. He warned that Arab Israelis, who make up about one-fifth of the population, must not be smeared. He condemned recent coarseness and racist expressions, stating there is no place for them toward any community in Israel. The president also noted that the will of the electorate obligates all political actors to accept the outcome peacefully.