Netanyahu Seeks Stay Despite Opposition Win

Benjamin Netanyahu retained a route to power following the Israeli election held on Wednesday, 28 October. The vote stripped his far-right coalition of its mandate and gave the opposition a firm majority of 64 seats. However, most Jewish opposition parties pledged not to govern alongside Palestinian-led parties, a decision that complicates the formation of a new government.

The campaign was defined by Netanyahu’s portrayal of Palestinian citizens as an enemy within. This strategy aimed to boost his support while making coalition talks difficult for rivals. His posters carried the slogan "The right or Palestine," casting the fifth of the population as an internal threat. On election night, he shrugged off the loss of about 10 seats from the 64-seat coalition he assembled in 2022. He claimed vindication, stating the right-wing bloc held a clear, decisive majority among the Zionist public.

Israeli media focused on the coalition math rather than the defeat. The newspaper Israel Hayom ran the headline "No Clear Government." Channel 12 published an article titled "Road to Unity Government Has Been Paved." Yair Golan, leader of the centre-left Democrats, rejected this framing. He said, "Netanyahu lost. I know how to count." Golan called for a government formed with Palestinian citizens, who make up about 20% of Israel's population.

Public opinion among opposition voters may differ from their leaders. A survey taken as polls closed showed a clear majority of opposition voters backed forming a government with the Palestinian-led Ra'am party to remove Netanyahu. Eran Halperin, a political psychology researcher, cited this data. Opposition leaders were silent on Wednesday, weighing their desire to unseat Netanyahu against their promises not to work with Palestinian parties. Gadi Eisenkot, who leads the largest opposition party, has not directly ruled out such a partnership but set conditions that make it politically impossible for those parties to join.

Palestinian leaders were more explicit about their willingness to collaborate. Yousef Jabareen, head of the Joint List, said his party was ready to pave the way for the ousting of the Netanyahu government. He added that the change comes through Jewish-Arab partnership. Ra'am, an Islamist party, placed a Jewish former police chief in second position on its slate to signal its commitment to working with Jewish Israelis.

The next steps depend on whether opposition leaders can overcome their pledges. If the pledge holds, Netanyahu could turn defeat into another term or remain caretaker prime minister for a prolonged period. This scenario includes the possibility of another round of elections. The Knesset has moved further right overall, as have young Israelis.

Many Israelis viewed the vote as existential, citing concerns about the erosion of democracy and the push for a State Commission of Inquiry into the 7 October attacks. Palestinian citizens turned out in record numbers, facing rising crime, discrimination, and home demolitions while watching relatives endure violence in the occupied West Bank and Gaza.