Israel Election Leaves Coalition Talks Deadlocked

Israel’s election left no bloc with a governing majority: Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, while Gadi Eisenkot’s change bloc won 48, both short of the 61 needed to govern. Arab-led parties won a record 19 seats, giving Netanyahu’s opponents a potential majority on paper, but some opposition parties have ruled out forming a coalition with them. Ra’am leader Mansour Abbas said representatives of both camps had contacted him and that he was open to considering an Eisenkot-led government if it was viable. Coalition talks face difficult compromises, with Netanyahu’s government serving as caretaker in the meantime and a new election possible if negotiations fail.