Knesset Consultations Begin Wednesday as Opposition Targets 61-Seat Majority

President Isaac Herzog begins formal consultations with the 26th Knesset on Wednesday at 5 p.m. The process starts with the smallest faction, Religious Zionism-Zehut, and concludes with Likud at 8:30 p.m. on Thursday. This timeline follows the recent general election in which Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc retained a lead but fell short of a governing majority.

The election results show that Netanyahu’s coalition secured 53 seats in the new Knesset. The opposition bloc captured 48 seats. To form a government, a coalition must command at least 61 votes in the 120-member assembly. This means the opposition requires the support of Arab parties to reach the necessary threshold. Those parties have stated they are willing to cooperate with the opposition to replace the current Prime Minister.

Leaders from the main opposition parties met on Tuesday morning to coordinate their approach for the upcoming consultations. Gadi Eisenkot of Yashar, Naftali Bennett of B’Yachad, Avigdor Liberman of Yisrael Beytenu, and Yair Golan of the Democrats attended the session. Outgoing opposition leader Yair Lapid, also of B’Yachad, joined the group. All four main figures intend to recommend Eisenkot to form the next government. Lapid arrived at the meeting to emphasize the urgency of the task.

Lapid described the current political situation as a serious attempt to undermine the election results. He stated that the events of recent days remind the public of the need to move Netanyahu out of the Prime Minister’s office. The leaders used this meeting to unify their stance before facing the President. The joint meeting marked the first time these four party leaders had gathered since the ballots were cast. They agreed that Eisenkot is the primary candidate for the premiership.

Outside the party headquarters, family members and victims of the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks gathered to press the leaders for action. The group demanded that the parties establish a change government to replace Netanyahu. They argued that the voters issued a mandate for a new administration. The protesters cited the 67 seats held by the opposition and Arab parties combined as evidence of that mandate. They warned against compromises that would legitimize the leaders in power during the October 7 massacre.

Political deadlock remains a possibility if negotiations stall. The opposition lacks the 61-seat majority without Arab party support. If no agreement is reached, the country may face another election. Other potential outcomes include a unity government pairing Netanyahu with members of Eisenkot’s bloc or the formation of a minority government. The President’s consultations will determine which path the political system takes next. The schedule is set to run from Wednesday evening through Thursday night.