Israelis went to the polls Tuesday in a closely watched national election, and as of Wednesday afternoon, no clear winner has emerged – with both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot falling short of the 61 seats needed for a Knesset majority.

The results are partial and unofficial. With approximately 84% of ballots counted as of early Wednesday afternoon Israel time, figures published by the Central Elections Committee give Netanyahu’s Likud-led bloc 54 seats and the bloc led by Eisenkot’s Yashar party 49 seats. The two Arab-led parties – the Joint List and Ra’am – hold a combined 17 seats, near a historic high.

By party, the partial results show: Likud 27, Yashar 20, the Joint List 13, Naftali Bennett’s Yachad 11, Avigdor Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu 8, Yair Golan’s Democrats 8, United Torah Judaism 7, Shas 7, Otzma Yehudit 7, Religious Zionism-Zehut 6, and Ra’am 6.

Turnout was 77.7%, up sharply from 70.6% in the 2022 election.

The numbers are expected to shift as counting continues. The so-called “double envelope” votes – cast by soldiers, diplomats, and others voting away from their home polling stations – may not be fully tallied until Friday, and election officials have cautioned that the high turnout means more absentee ballots than initially anticipated. Those votes have traditionally skewed away from the Arab and Haredi parties.

Both leaders claimed the right to form the next government. Netanyahu, in a defiant speech to supporters, called for a “strong, right-wing” government and declared that the right-wing bloc had won a “decisive majority” among the Zionist public. Eisenkot urged him to accept defeat and step down, and vowed to form a coalition himself.

Complicating the picture, the Arab-led parties could emerge as kingmakers. Joint List chairman Yousef Jabareen said any party seeking to replace Netanyahu’s government will have to engage with his faction. Eisenkot’s Zionist bloc – which includes Yashar, Bennett’s Yachad, Liberman’s Yisrael Beiteinu, and Golan’s Democrats – cannot reach a majority without at least the outside support of the Arab parties, something its members pledged during the campaign not to rely on.

What it means for Israel: Weeks of coalition negotiations are likely ahead. Once final results are certified, Israel’s president will task the candidate judged most likely to succeed with forming a government. If neither side can assemble 61 seats, the country could face continued political deadlock.

What it could mean for Americans: The outcome will shape the next chapter of the U.S.-Israel relationship, including coordination on Iran and the ongoing regional situation, at a moment when the Trump administration is closely watching who will lead in Jerusalem. The uncertainty was already being felt economically – the shekel weakened and the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange slumped following the inconclusive results – a factor for Americans who support mosdos, pay tuition in Israel, or travel there. Israel is also home to hundreds of thousands of American citizens, including many with family in the Lakewood community.

TLS will update as final results are published.