Netanyahu’s bloc projected to win 56 seats as Israeli election count nears 50%

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc was projected to win 56 seats in the 120-member Knesset, five short of a governing majority, as 49.7% of votes were counted in Israel’s parliamentary elections, Israeli media reported Wednesday.

The opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot was projected to secure 49 seats, while predominantly Arab parties were expected to win the remaining 15, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, citing the Central Elections Committee.

Neither major bloc was projected to reach the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

The Arab parties could play a decisive role in government formation, as their combined 15 seats would give Eisenkot’s bloc a majority of 64 if they agreed to support it.

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Among individual parties, Netanyahu’s Likud led with a projected 27 seats, followed by Eisenkot’s Yashar with 21.

The Together alliance and the predominantly Arab Joint List were each projected to win 11 seats, followed by the Democrats and United Torah Judaism with nine each.

Yisrael Beiteinu was projected to secure eight seats, while Shas and Otzma Yehudit were expected to win seven each.

Religious Zionism was projected to secure six seats and the United Arab List (Ra’am) four.

The results remain provisional and are expected to change as counting continues.

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