Israel Election Results 2026 LIVE Updates: Israel’s opposition leaders back Eisenkot to oust Netanyahu

Israel Election Results 2026 LIVE: Opposition promises to form a government quickly but remains split over whether to ally with Arab-led parties.

Israel Election Results 2026 LIVE: Israel’s main opposition leaders have agreed to back former military chief Gadi Eisenkot as prime minister and to replace Benjamin Netanyahu’s government as fast as they can, AFP said. They met in Herzliya on November 3, their first joint meeting since the October 27 election, which left neither bloc with a majority in the 120-seat Knesset. The bloc is still split on whether to work with Arab-led parties, whose votes could decide the outcome.

Opposition leaders agree on Eisenkot: All parties in the alliance will recommend Eisenkot, who heads the Yashar party, to President Isaac Herzog. They say they want “a national emergency government”. Herzog holds talks with the parties on November 4 and 5.

Story continues below this ad

Arab-led parties hold the balance: Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, the opposition 48 and Arab-led parties 19. A majority needs 61. Yair Golan backs an alliance with Arab-led parties, but Avigdor Liberman firmly opposes it.

Netanyahu seeks a “broad national government”:  Netanyahu says Likud, with 27 seats, is still the largest party. No opposition leader has said they will join him, and he has ruled out a coalition with Arab-majority lists.

Row over trust in the election result: Eisenkot accused Netanyahu and Likud of trying to weaken trust in the result and “drag us all into a dangerous constitutional crisis”, the Jerusalem Post said. The attorney-general also refused to let Shin Bet question Arab-party lawmakers without evidence.

Key updates:

• Neither bloc won a majority in the October 27 election. A majority needs 61 of 120 seats.
• Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats, the opposition has 48 and Arab-led parties have 19.
• Eisenkot’s four principles could rule out some Arab-led parties.
• Golan backs an alliance with Arab-led parties, while Liberman opposes it.
• Eisenkot says the opposition will form a “national emergency government”.

Follow the latest updates on the Israel election here. This live blog tracks the key developments as voting day unfolds. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed through the day to reflect the most important news from the vote.

Live Updates
Nov 4, 2026 09:24 AM IST
Israeli lawmaker calls for probe into alleged Palestinian Authority interference in election

Israeli lawmaker Simcha Rothman of the Religious Zionist Party has called for a thorough investigation into alleged Palestinian Authority (PA) interference in the country's recent Knesset elections. Speaking to 103FM, Rothman claimed that a foreign state entity had been involved in the election campaign and questioned restrictions allegedly imposed by the attorney-general on investigating the matter.

Rothman also raised the possibility of fresh elections if an investigation established that foreign interference had affected the results. Asked whether the election results should be annulled, he said new polls might be necessary if 100,000 or even 500,000 votes had been affected. He argued that the extent of the alleged interference could not be determined without a proper investigation.

- With Inputs from The Jerusalem Post

Nov 4, 2026 08:20 AM IST
Israel election chief says official results to be published despite coalition’s objections

Israel’s Central Elections Committee (CEC) chairman Noam Sohlberg has said the official results of last week’s Knesset election will be published on Wednesday, rejecting another attempt by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s outgoing coalition to delay the announcement. Representatives of parties in Netanyahu’s bloc had sought a discussion on alleged vote-buying by several Arab suspects at a CEC meeting.

Sohlberg said the committee’s plenary meeting would begin at 9 am on Wednesday to allow for a detailed discussion. However, he maintained that neither the committee nor any other authority had the legal power to delay publication of the results, which must be released eight days after the election under Israel’s Basic Laws. He added that allegations of electoral wrongdoing could be taken up by the courts.

- With inputs from Times of Israel

Nov 4, 2026 07:55 AM IST
Trump’s plan to end US aid to Israel signals shift in American political consensus

US President Donald Trump’s announcement that Washington would end nearly USD 4 billion in annual military assistance to Israel has highlighted a growing divide in American politics over support for its long-standing ally. The announcement, made in a Fox News interview on Election Day, came amid mounting criticism of US support for Israel among both progressive Democrats and sections of Trump’s MAGA movement.

However, Trump offered few details about how the proposed withdrawal would work, and it remains unclear whether he intends to end the assistance immediately or allow the existing agreement to expire in 2028.

The move could mark a shift in the traditionally bipartisan consensus backing Israel in Washington, particularly as the war in Gaza and the US role in the Iran conflict become increasingly contentious domestic political issues. Under a 2016 agreement, the US committed to providing Israel around USD 3.8 billion annually in military assistance through 2028.

Analysts cautioned against overstating the immediate impact, noting that the two countries remain closely tied through weapons procurement, defence cooperation and ongoing military programmes. Trump’s announcement also comes as Israel faces uncertainty over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future following an inconclusive election.

- With inputs from CNN

Nov 4, 2026 07:46 AM IST
Trump says US to end annual aid to Israel by year-end, but may offer other support

US President Donald Trump has said Washington will stop providing annual financial assistance to Israel after the end of 2026, claiming that he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had agreed to phase out the funding. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said the US would still help Israel if needed, but did not clarify what form that assistance would take. Neither Netanyahu’s office nor Israel’s foreign ministry had publicly confirmed the announcement, according to Al Jazeera.

The proposed move faces legal and political hurdles as the military assistance is appropriated by the US Congress, meaning Trump cannot end it unilaterally. Under a 2016 agreement, Washington committed to providing Israel around USD 3.8 billion annually in military aid through 2028. Experts cited by Al Jazeera said ongoing weapons and missile-defence programmes could make an immediate withdrawal difficult, potentially extending the phase-out into 2027.

- With Inputs from Al Jazeera

Nov 4, 2026 07:40 AM IST
Trump says US to end annual $4 billion aid to Israel after 2026

US President Donald Trump has said Washington will stop providing Israel with $4 billion in annual aid after the end of 2026, claiming he reached an agreement with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu months ago. Speaking to Fox News, Trump said the US would still help Israel if needed but did not specify what form that assistance would take. Neither Netanyahu’s office nor Israel’s Foreign Ministry had confirmed the announcement. The move would require congressional approval, as the aid is appropriated by the US Congress.

- With Inputs from Al Jazeera

Nov 4, 2026 07:38 AM IST
Opposition leader calls Trump’s decision to end US aid to Israel a ‘severe failure’

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid on Wednesday criticised US President Donald Trump’s decision to end annual American assistance to Israel, calling it one of the most severe political and security failures in the country’s history. He accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of capitulating to the decision and failing to prepare the country’s security establishment for its consequences.

Trump announced that the US would end approximately USD 4 billion in annual assistance to Israel by the end of the year, arguing that the country was economically strong enough to purchase its own weapons. Another opposition leader, Yair Golan, also criticised the move, warning that the financial burden of meeting Israel’s security needs would fall on the Israeli public. Under a 2016 agreement, Washington had committed to providing Israel around USD 3.8 billion annually in military assistance through 2028.

- With ANI Inputs

Nov 4, 2026 06:31 AM IST
Iran's chief negotiator says the US must act to prevent renewed war

Iran’s chief negotiator says it’s up to the United States to prevent renewed war after what he described as a “firm and rational response” to Washington. Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf did not elaborate. His comments came after the U.S. conducted defensive strikes on some Iranian targets in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump says his administration will stop providing $4 billion in aid each year to Israel but still sell arms to its ally. India reports that an attack on a commercial vessel off Oman killed an Indian national while 13 others were rescued.

Nov 4, 2026 05:49 AM IST
Israel election results: Opposition backs Eisenkot to oust Netanyahu, remains split over Arab parties

The political deadlock in Israel after the October 27 parliamentary elections continues as the question of who will emerge as the leader lingers, while the opposition leaders agreed in a meeting on Tuesday to back Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rival and former military chief, Gadi Eisenkot, to form a new government and remained divided over Arab-led parties’ cooperation.

During a 70-minute meeting in Israel’s Herzliya, the first since the election last month, the five party heads, Yashar’s Eisenkot, Beyachad’s Naftali Bennett, Atid’s Yair Lapid, Democrats’ Yair Golan and Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman agreed to immediately coordinate efforts to replace the Netanyahu-led government with a national emergency government, Al Jazeera reported. The Israeli election results left neither bloc with a majority in the 120-member Knesset. Eisenkot-led bloc won 48 seats in the election. Read more

Nov 4, 2026 05:44 AM IST
Eisenkot accuses Netanyahu of attempting to undermine public trust in election results

Yashar Party leader Gadi Eisenkot accused Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Likud Party of "attempting to carry out a pogrom against democracy" by attempting to undermine public trust in the election results in a post on X/Twitter on Tuesday. 

"They are trying to drag us all into a dangerous constitutional crisis," he wrote.

Nov 4, 2026 05:40 AM IST

Welcome to our new live blog on the Israeli election results. Stay with us for all the latest updates.

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments