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Israel’s Central Elections Committee was still counting ballots before dawn on 28 October 2026. The early tally already told a mixed story. The Netanyahu bloc election results released overnight gave the pro-Netanyahu bloc the lead over its rivals. But the margin kept narrowing as more boxes opened. Neither side had the 61 seats needed to govern alone.

One update from the Times of Israel’s live count covered roughly a third of ballot boxes. It put the pro-Netanyahu bloc at 59 seats against 46 for the opposing bloc. An earlier count, with about a quarter of boxes opened, had the pro-Netanyahu bloc ahead 63 to 49. The nonaligned Joint List held the rest. The gap moved both ways as counting continued. That is normal this early. It meant Israel woke up on 28 October without a declared winner.

What the Netanyahu bloc election results actually show so far

Likud remains the largest single party. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressed supporters at Likud headquarters in Jerusalem overnight. He said the right-wing bloc held a “decisive majority” among what he called the Zionist public. He told the room “we are still waiting for the true results.” He called for a “right-wing, national, strong government.” He also criticized parties willing to work with Arab-led factions, calling it a “shame.”

Several small parties sat near the electoral threshold. The Reservists party polled around 2.7%. People of Israel polled around 1.8%. The Charedi Public list sat around 0.3% in the update reviewed. Each falls below the 3.25% cutoff a party needs to enter the Knesset. Soldiers’ ballots and double-envelope votes could still push one of them over that line. A single seat moving either way matters when coalition math is this tight.

Why the count keeps moving

Israeli election law counts regular ballot boxes first. It leaves military votes and “double envelope” ballots for later. Those are cast by people voting away from their registered polling station. This category has swung the final seat count in past Israeli elections, sometimes by several seats. Officials and party strategists treat early percentages as provisional for that reason. The Central Elections Committee has not set a date for final certified results as of this writing.

The opposition bloc is led by former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. It had not issued a public statement matching Netanyahu’s in the hours covered by available reporting. Some commentary, including from CNN’s live results coverage, framed the overnight numbers as a setback for Netanyahu’s governing coalition. That is despite his bloc holding the largest share of seats. In Israel’s proportional system, “largest bloc” and “governing majority” are not the same thing.

The coalition fight behind a close Netanyahu bloc election results count

Israel’s president formally invites a candidate to try to form a government once results are certified. That usually goes to whoever a majority of incoming Knesset members recommend. Both blocs sat short of 61 seats in the numbers reviewed. Attention now turns to the parties outside the two main camps. The Joint List and Ra’am, both Arab-led, have in the past signaled they might back a government from the outside. Neither would need to join a coalition to do it. That outside support could decide who actually forms the next government.

That kind of arrangement has collapsed before in Israeli politics. Netanyahu’s own remarks overnight suggested he plans to campaign against relying on it. A government built on narrow, shifting support has struggled before to pass a budget or survive a full term in Israel. Even a bloc that edges past 61 seats on paper may find governing harder than winning.

What happens before Israel has a government

Three things happen next, in order. First, the Central Elections Committee finishes counting double-envelope and military ballots. It then certifies final results, typically within about a week of election day. Second, Israel’s president consults the heads of every party that won seats. The president then designates someone to try to form a government, usually the leader with the best shot at 61 votes. That person gets a window of several weeks. Third, the designated leader negotiates coalition deals over ministries, policy commitments and budget priorities. Only then does a government go to the Knesset for a confidence vote.

Given how close the overnight numbers were, a drawn-out negotiation looks more likely than a quick handover. No outcome is locked in yet. Israel has gone to a second election before when coalition talks failed completely.

For readers following other elections this season, Tamara News also covered the coalition math behind Tuesday’s vote and the pre-election polling that set expectations heading into election day. Readers tracking broader shifts in global politics can also see how the political transition in Venezuela is unfolding on a very different continent this same week.

FAQ: Netanyahu bloc election results

Did Netanyahu win the election outright?
No single bloc had reached the 61 seats needed for a majority in the counts reviewed. Likud was the largest individual party, and the pro-Netanyahu bloc led the opposing bloc, but neither had secured a governing majority.

When will Israel know the final result?
Final certified results typically follow about a week after election day, once double-envelope and military ballots are added to the count.

What is a “double envelope” ballot?
It is a vote cast by someone away from their registered polling station, sealed in an extra envelope so officials can verify eligibility before it is counted with the final tally.

Could smaller parties decide the outcome?
Yes. Several parties sat close to the 3.25% threshold needed to enter the Knesset, and whether they clear it can shift the final seat count enough to change who can realistically form a government.

What role could Arab-led parties play?
The Joint List and Ra’am have previously signaled they might support a coalition from outside without formally joining it, a dynamic that has decided past Israeli coalition fights.

What happens if no one can form a government?
Israel has gone to repeat elections before when coalition negotiations collapsed, though that outcome typically follows weeks of failed talks, not an immediate call for a new vote.