
The elections in Israel went as expected. Neither of the two main political blocs secured the majority needed to form a government, while the Arab minority parties are becoming the decisive factor.
Prime Minister Netanyahu looks set to remain in office after securing greater support from Jewish voters than expected. However, his bloc of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox parties lost its parliamentary majority.
With nearly 86 percent of the votes counted, Netanyahu's coalition has so far secured 53 of the 120 seats in parliament. While the opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, is expected to take 48 seats, falling short of the results predicted by the polls.
Parties representing Israeli Arabs are projected to win a record 19 seats. That makes them crucial to forming a government, as Eisenkot's opposition has no clear path to power without their support. But many Jewish politicians oppose such cooperation.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu's Likud party claims the elections were stolen by Arab parties and is demanding an investigation into alleged manipulation during the electoral process.
However, the vote count is still ongoing and the results could change. Netanyahu will remain in office as prime minister during coalition negotiations and could continue until the next election, which could be held next year.
Although the incumbent government has some limitations, it retains the powers to make decisions, including those related to the war with Iran.