Israel's count is complete — and no bloc can govern

The final count

Israel's Central Elections Committee said on Thursday it had finished counting every ballot from Tuesday's election for the 26th Knesset, including the double-envelope votes cast by soldiers, diplomats, police officers, hospital patients and staff, and others who voted away from their registered polling stations, according to reports of the committee's figures. In total, 5,589,836 votes were cast, of which 5,564,764 were valid.

Likud remains the largest party with 27 of 120 seats, followed by Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar on 21 and Naftali Bennett's Together on 12, according to reports of the committee figures. The Joint List holds 11 seats and Ra'am eight, with the Democrats also on eight. Turnout reached 77.7%, the highest in nearly three decades, according to the committee.

The deadlock, unchanged

The bloc arithmetic did not move from the regular-ballot count: Netanyahu's outgoing coalition holds 53 seats, the opposition change bloc 48, and the two Arab-led lists a combined 19 — no camp near the 61 needed to govern in the 120-seat Knesset. The figures remain provisional: official results are due Nov. 4 after a review of electoral compliance, according to reports.

A fraud claim as the count closed

Netanyahu said on Wednesday that Arab parties cheated in Tuesday's election, alleging bribery, threats, violence, forgeries and prohibited voter-mobilization software, and demanded law enforcement act "with an iron fist and in an immediate manner," the Washington Examiner reported. The claim is Netanyahu's own allegation, not an established finding.

What happens next

Once results are final, the president consults party leaders, and the leader tasked with forming a government has up to 42 days. For Canada, the outcome will shape Ottawa's dealings with Israel's next government on regional security and Gaza ceasefire efforts. Arab parties, now at 19 seats, could hold the balance — even as leaders in both camps have said they would not depend on them to govern.