THE WORLD, EXPLAINED.

Israel’s election count leaves government formation unresolved

Netanyahu and Eisenkot seek a governing path while ballots are still being counted.

By Ayal · October 28, 2026

The Knesset building in Jerusalem, photographed in July 2022. Archival parliament photograph; not voting, the count or government-formation talks in October 2026. Clema12 / Knesset front side - 2022.jpg — CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Knesset_front_side_-_2022.jpg License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0 Provider-sized copy; no content edits. Display may crop to fit cards.

Israel’s post-election count had not produced a clear governing majority on October 28. Benjamin Netanyahu and Gadi Eisenkot each argued that the result supported their political direction, while neither side had secured an uncontested route to government in the reporting reviewed.

A coalition needs at least 61 seats in the 120-member Knesset. CNN’s morning reporting described an ongoing count and projections below that threshold for both blocs. Final results and negotiations with other parties could change the picture; projections are not a completed coalition agreement.