Arab Voters Could Decide Israel’s Next Government as Opposition Backs Eisenkot

WHO:

Vox - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his opponents did not win enough parliamentary seats to govern.

France 24 - Opposition leaders led by Gadi Eisenkot endorsed him for prime minister. The opposition grouping includes Yair Golan of the Democrats, Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, and Naftali Bennett’s Together party.

France 24 - Netanyahu leads Likud; Arab-majority lists and ultra-Orthodox parties, including Shas, are involved in coalition calculations. President Isaac Herzog is responsible for choosing a candidate to form a government.

France 24 - Arab Israeli party leaders unanimously condemned Hamas’s attack on Israel but did not describe Hamas as a terror group. Raam’s leader has recognized Israel as a “Jewish state”; other Arab-party leaders have rejected that definition.

WHAT:

France 24 - The election left neither camp with a majority in the 120-member parliament: Eisenkot’s bloc won 48 seats, Netanyahu’s camp 53, including 27 for Likud, and Arab-majority lists won a record 19.

France 24 - Netanyahu called for a “broad national government” under his leadership, excluding Arab parties. He said: “A clear majority of the Jewish public chose Likud as the largest party and chose me, as prime minister, to lead the next government.”

France 24 - Netanyahu alleged Arab-majority parties “support terrorism and deny the existence of the Jewish state.” He said he would work with parties that “do not support terrorism.”

France 24 - Arab-party leaders have hinted they may endorse Eisenkot. Golan supports partnership with them; Lieberman opposes it. Eisenkot’s party appears to have ruled it out without explicitly saying so, while Together’s position is unclear.

France 24 - Arab-party leaders have said their shared objective is to bring down what they call a “racist” government.

WHERE:

France 24 - The opposition bloc’s meeting was scheduled to take place in Herzliya.

WHEN:

France 24 - Herzog’s consultations with party representatives were scheduled to begin Wednesday. The article gives November 11 as the deadline for his choice.

France 24 - The selected candidate has 28 days, extendable by 14 days, to form a coalition. If that attempt fails, another candidate may receive 28 days. If that also fails, 61 lawmakers can request a third candidate; if none is chosen within 14 days, parliament is dissolved and new elections are held.

WHY:

Vox - The next government’s formation hinges on Arab voters because neither Netanyahu nor his opponents secured the 61 seats needed to govern.

France 24 - Arab-majority lists’ 19 seats make them potential kingmakers.

HOW:

France 24 - The established process is for the president to appoint the candidate with the most party recommendations, taking account of the parties’ relative strength.

France 24 - Netanyahu’s far-right allies and Shas were expected to recommend him; the position of the other ultra-Orthodox party was unclear.

(UPDATED November 3, 2026 13:05 UTC)

Israel’s election left Netanyahu and opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot short of a governing majority. Netanyahu’s camp won 53 seats, Eisenkot’s bloc 48, while Arab-led lists captured 19. President Isaac Herzog must choose a candidate, making Arab parties pivotal in coalition negotiations.