Yair Lapid calls for patience during Israeli government formation

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid has described the recent election results as a “victory on points,” noting that while the opposition did not achieve a decisive knockout, the governing bloc lost significant ground.

Following the conclusion of the vote count, Benjamin Netanyahu’s pro-government coalition holds only 53 seats, falling short of the 61 required for a majority in the Knesset. Lapid stated that the opposition bloc, led by Gadi Eisenkot, will attempt to form a new government, though he cautioned that the process will be difficult, slow, and conducted behind closed doors.

While Netanyahu has raised concerns regarding foreign interference from Qatar, electoral authorities have denied any evidence of “systemic fraud” and are conducting an investigation. Certified results are expected to be presented to President Isaac Herzog on November 4, with the Knesset scheduled to be sworn in on November 10.