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Israel election results: How to break the deadlock
CNN • • general
Key Points:
- Israel faces a prolonged political deadlock after elections fail to produce a clear winner, with neither Prime Minister Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc nor Gadi Eisenkot’s centrist bloc securing a majority in the 120-seat parliament.
- Forming a government is complicated by deep ideological divides, particularly opposition leaders' refusal to cooperate with Arab parties, which are crucial for a coalition majority.
- Potential solutions include an opposition government relying on Jewish-Arab cooperation, a national unity government involving both blocs, or Netanyahu attempting to gain defectors from opposition parties, though each faces significant obstacles.
- If coalition talks fail within the prescribed 12-week period, the Israeli president will task multiple leaders sequentially to form a government before potentially calling for a new election.
- A repeat election, possibly the seventh in eight years, is a likely outcome if no coalition is formed, prolonging Netanyahu’s role as caretaker prime minister and extending political paralysis in Israel.
