Lapid says Netanyahu has 'no way' to form government after Israeli election - Anadolu Ajansı

Israeli opposition figure Yair Lapid said Friday that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had "no way" to form a government following this week's parliamentary election, as rival political camps stepped up efforts to assemble a governing coalition.

Israel's public broadcaster KAN reported Thursday evening that vote counting had been completed, with Netanyahu's bloc securing 53 seats, the opposition Change bloc 48 and Arab parties 19 in the 120-member Knesset.

Neither of the two main blocs reached the 61 seats required for a parliamentary majority. Final results are expected to be announced Nov. 4 following verification procedures.

"That is all he has. No matter what he tries, he has no way to form a government," Lapid wrote on US social media platform X, referring to Netanyahu's 53 seats.

He noted that the prime minister's bloc had held 68 seats in the outgoing Knesset, describing the result as a major setback.

Lapid also highlighted voter turnout of 77.7%, the highest since 1999, and characterized the opposition's performance as a "win on points" rather than a "knockout."

"Now comes the truly difficult part: attempting to form a government," he said.

"Forming a government is the exact opposite. It takes place in small rooms, slowly, away from the cameras," he added, referring to the difference between election campaigning and coalition negotiations.

"It will be difficult. I have no guarantees," Lapid said, urging supporters to remain patient.

Separately, far-right Jewish Power party leader Itamar Ben-Gvir met Netanyahu on Thursday to discuss efforts to preserve a right-wing government, according to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth.

Jewish Power said the two held lengthy talks on preventing the formation of what it described as a left-wing government supported by Arab parties.

Meanwhile, Democrats party leader Yair Golan urged leaders of the Change bloc to reconsider their positions on cooperation with Arab parties.

Golan met United Arab List (Ra'am) leader Mansour Abbas on Thursday as part of efforts to accelerate the formation of an alternative government.

He has previously supported including Ra'am in a future coalition, while Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman opposes forming a government that includes Arab parties.

Together, the Change bloc and Arab parties hold 67 seats, enough for a parliamentary majority.

However, the Arab parties are not formally part of the Change bloc, and disagreements among opposition leaders over cooperating with them remain an obstacle to forming a government without Netanyahu.