JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc is leading in the initial results of the country’s general election but appears to be short of the parliamentary majority required to form a government.
According to Israeli media reports, vote counting is still underway, with more than 2.7 million ballots, representing approximately 57 percent of the total votes, counted so far.
The preliminary results show Netanyahu’s bloc leading in 56 seats, while the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot is ahead in 49 seats.
According to the reports, Netanyahu’s party is leading independently in 28 seats, while the opposition party Yashar is ahead in 21 seats. Israeli Arab parties are also leading in a combined 15 seats, based on the preliminary figures.
A minimum of 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset, Israel’s parliament, is required to secure a majority and form a government. However, the early results indicate that neither Netanyahu’s bloc nor the Eisenkot-led opposition bloc has reached the required threshold.
The figures are based on the ongoing vote count and remain provisional. The distribution of seats could change as more ballots are counted and the final results are announced.