Israel's electoral commission and Shin Bet said the vote was conducted properly and that ongoing investigations into possible irregularities would not affect its outcome. The inquiry concerns large cash sums received by a lawmaker from the United List, a coalition of three Arab parties partly represented in the Knesset. Probes into alleged foreign interference will take time but will not disrupt the process of forming a government, the commission and Shin Bet said. The prospect of a new Qatargate has faded, while Likud has protested against the commission.
Parties are due to begin consultations with President Isaac Herzog on Wednesday. The Change bloc appears at a dead end: however the count is carried out, the numbers for a government do not add up, though the opposition sees enough numbers in the Knesset.
Gadi Eisenkot, whose Yashar party has 21 seats and is the dominant party among current opposition factions, met Avigdor Liberman (7 seats) for their first post-election face-to-face. Liberman is the bloc's toughest member and has vetoed any government supported even externally by Arab or ultra-Orthodox parties. Eisenkot also met separately Naftali Bennett (12 seats with Yair Lapid) and Yair Golan (8 seats).
Five days after the election, the Change bloc has still not held a joint meeting of its different components, which continue to lack a coherent unified strategy. To move toward a government, it must give up at least one of three campaign promises: not to sit with Arab parties, not with ultra-Orthodox parties, and not with Netanyahu. According to Ynet, Eisenkot could give up two by examining a minority government backed externally by both the Islamic Ra'am party (8 seats) and the Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism (7 seats).
United Torah Judaism has long been considering ending its decade-long alliance with Netanyahu. It had already left his coalition in July 2025 in a dispute over the failure to pass a conscription law to its liking. The scenario remains highly uncertain, especially because such a government would be supported by 15 external votes, which could in practice hamper its activity. United Torah Judaism has said the most likely option is not to recommend any name to the president, a practice long associated with the United Arab List (11 seats), which this time seems inclined to recommend Eisenkot to Herzog.
Channel 11 reported that the talks are being heavily overshadowed by the prospect of a resumption of war with Iran, which could push toward a unity option between Netanyahu and Eisenkot "with guarantees from presidents", including the US president, who would favor such a government.
In parallel, with the executive deadlocked, the opposition intends to pursue control of the Knesset. It has ample numbers to replace Speaker Amir Ohana of Likud soon after the new Parliament is sworn in on November 10, and to advance an initial legislative package as a test of the disparate alliance: a commission of inquiry into October 7, conscription laws and a new state comptroller. Another possible card is legislation that could prevent a prime minister with ongoing trials from serving or limit a premier to two terms.
Sources: ANSA Mondo. ANSA Mondo.