Israel’s election yielded a stalemate. Which means Netanyahu won

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/israels-election-yielded-a-stalemate-which-means-netanyahu-has-won/

The anti-Netanyahu parties — Jewish and Arab — secured most of the seats in the Knesset, but they do not have the means to translate that into even a minority government. The failure is staggering, and may echo long into Israel’s future

There seems to be some confusion about the result of Israel’s election, specifically as regards who won.

That’s somewhat understandable. Neither of the two main rival camps secured a Knesset majority.

But it’s also incorrect. The election, and the stalemate, leave one clear winner: Benjamin Netanyahu.

October 28, 2026. (Chaim Goldberg/Flash90)

There seems to be some confusion about the result of Israel’s election, specifically as regards who won.

That’s somewhat understandable. Neither of the two main rival camps secured a Knesset majority.

But it’s also incorrect. The election, and the stalemate, leave one clear winner: Benjamin Netanyahu.

How so? Simply because he does not have to do anything in order to retain power — not to concede anything, not to compromise on anything.

And that’s because the political forces arrayed against him have no realistic means of ousting him.

Trump's quiet ultimatum to Israel: Form a unity government

 https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/10/29/trumps-quiet-ultimatum-to-israel-form-a-unity-government/

With the actual vote count leaving Israel's political future uncertain, the White House is sending an urgent message to Israeli leaders: Form a stable coalition that can advance a major diplomatic initiative. A senior US administration official warns that the window of opportunity will close in about two years, after which Israel's struggle for survival will become far more difficult. "Trump is hardly known for his diplomatic niceties, and when the time is right, he will use whatever influence is needed."

Officials in Washington believe US President Donald Trump will actively push for the formation of a broad-based government in Israel. Two weeks ago, Israel Hayom revealed that messages conveyed by Washington to senior Israeli party officials made clear that this was the president's preferred outcome, as he seeks to secure Israeli support for his sweeping diplomatic initiative in the Middle East.

In other words, Trump is making sure Israeli leaders understand his clear preferences. When the time comes, he intends to apply the pressure necessary to turn those preferences into reality.

Israel’s election ended in deadlock. Here are four ways out

 https://edition.cnn.com/2026/10/29/middleeast/israels-election-deadlock-four-scenarios-vis-intl

Israel faces weeks, possibly months, of political limbo after final results show there’s no clear winner in its elections.

Neither of the two main blocs – one led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party, the other led by the centrist Yashar party of his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot – have reached the required 61-seat majority to form a government in Israel’s 120-seat parliament.

With all votes counted, Netanyahu’s bloc has 53 seats, Eisenkot’s 48, Arab parties 19

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/with-all-votes-counted-netanyahus-bloc-at-53-seats-eisenkots-48-arab-parties-19/

Official turnout was 77.9%, with 5,716,665 total votes cast; Central Elections Committee reiterates that investigation into alleged voter fraud ‘will not affect final results’

The final voter turnout was 77.9% of eligible voters — the highest figure in decades — with 5,716,665 votes cast.

The final results give Likud 27 seats, Yashar 21, B’Yachad 12, the Joint List 11, The Democrats 8, Ra’am 8, Yisrael Beytenu 7, United Torah Judaism 7, Otzma Yehudit 7, Shas 6 and Religious Zionism 6.

Hegseth’s team forces out another top Pentagon general, officials say

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2026/10/29/hegseths-team-forces-out-lt-gen-brett-sylvia-officials-say/

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and his team have forced out another top general at the Pentagon, the latest in a long-running purge of senior military officials, four people familiar with the matter said.

Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia served as director for strategy, plans and policy on the Joint Staff, reporting to Gen. Dan Caine, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Caine’s staff released a statement Wednesday night thanking Sylvia for his 32 years of service, without explaining what precipitated his departure.

Hegseth’s team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Since becoming defense secretary last year, he has removed dozens of senior military leaders but seldom discloses his rationale.

Obama on Trump's reaction to Cheesecake Factory joke: He wasn't 'upset' by Saddam Hussein reference

With 90% of votes counted, Netanyahu bloc has 53 seats, Eisenkot’s 48; Arab parties surge to 19

 https://www.timesofisrael.com/with-85-of-votes-counted-netanyahu-bloc-has-53-seats-eisenkots-48-arab-parties-surge-to-19/

The Central Election Committee (CEC) said Wednesday afternoon that with 89.8 percent of ballots counted, the bloc led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was poised to win 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, and the bloc led by Yashar party chair Gadi Eisenkot would win 48 seats, leaving both blocs far from a 61-seat majority.

The picture that was emerging by Wednesday evening was different from the one that had been painted in most mainstream polls in the weeks and months leading up to the election, which had almost all shown Eisenkot’s bloc taking the lead over Netanyahu’s with varying margins, though similarly without anyone having a clear path to a coalition.

The full vote count was therefore due to be released on Thursday afternoon. The final, official election results are expected to be published on November 4.

Trump’s babysitting of Netanyahu puts the US in charge on Gaza

 https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/23/middleeast/analysis-trump-bibisitting-netanyahu-gaza-latam-intl

An American official called it “Bibi-sitting” – a revolving door of the highest-ranking members of the Trump administration to make sure Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, frequently known as “Bibi,” sticks to the US-brokered ceasefire deal.

“We intend to stay engaged every single day to make sure peace takes hold,” Vance said at a news conference on Tuesday, unveiling a new US coordination center to monitor and assess real-time developments of the Gaza ceasefire deal.

Trump says he saved Netanyahu from crushing election defeat - now, he wants influence

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-913131

From Gaza to Syria and Lebanon, Trump wants an Israeli government that advances his regional ambitions, even if it means sidelining Ben-Gvir and Smotrich.

US President Donald Trump rushed to claim credit for Netanyahu’s election performance, even before it became clear whether the prime minister could form a government. But behind the celebration lies an important diplomatic message: The man who helped keep you in the game may also get to set the rules.

The most important sentence came at the end: “It all took place after the endorsement by President Trump, who only wants what is good for the Middle East, Israel, and the United States of America!”

Alexander brothers sentenced after women speak of being drugged, raped by them

https://fox8.com/news/alexander-brothers-sentenced-after-women-speak-of-being-drugged-raped-by-them/

Three brothers convicted of leveraging their wealthy lifestyle to drug and rape dozens of women were each sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison after one victim described her attack as an “eternity of terror” and the judge slammed their behavior as shameful, degenerate and monstrous.

Oren Alexander said he and his brothers came of age at the height of hookup culture and Howard Stern’s hypersexualized radio show. Looking back as a father, he said he regrets many of the things he said about women at that time. However, he insisted that they never broke the law.

All three brothers stressed their Jewish faith. Oren Alexander, wearing a yarmulke, said that even with the minimum 15-year sentence the defense sought, he’d miss his son’s bar mitzvah.

The brothers were unanimously convicted in March following a trial that lasted several weeks and included testimony from 11 women. According to prosecutors, the brothers used their wealth, status and access to luxury properties over more than two decades to lure women to parties, trips and vacation destinations, including mansions in the Hamptons and ski resorts in Aspen. There, some of the women were raped and sexually assaulted, in certain cases after being drugged.

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With over 2 million votes counted, Netanyahu pulls ahead of Eisenkot but fails to reach 61

 https://www.jpost.com/israel-election-2026/article-913053

Netanyahu, Eisenkot blocs still deadlocked despite coalition lead • Arab parties predicted to reach combined seat total of 16-19, complicating efforts to form coalition

No clear winner emerged in Israel’s election, according to exit polls published by Channels 11, 12, and 13 on Tuesday night, all of which showed both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc and the opposition bloc seeking to replace him falling short of a 61-seat Knesset majority.

However, by Wednesday morning, some polls showed Netanyahu's bloc with a clear lead.

On Tuesday, the opposition bloc, comprising Yashar, B’Yachad, Yisrael Beytenu, and the Democrats, was projected to win 49-51 seats, compared with 51-52 for Netanyahu’s bloc. On Wednesday morning, the opposition bloc had fallen to 47 across all three channels, and Netanyahu's bloc was projected to win 53-57 mandates.

Trump: My endorsement turned the tide in Netanyahu's favor

 https://www.israelnationalnews.com/news/435278

President Trump claims his endorsement of Benjamin Netanyahu shifted the Israeli election outcome, turning what he called a likely defeat into a stalemate or victory.

“When President Trump endorsed Bibi Netanyahu, the whole tide turned, and now, rather than a decisive defeat for a Great Prime Minister, it looks like a big come-from-behind stalemate, or even a WIN for Netanyahu. It all took place AFTER the Endorsement by President Trump, who only wants what is good for the Middle East, Israel, and the United States of America!" he wrote.

"When you go to the Polls please remember that Bibi has been an outstanding Warrior Prime Minister! Israel was called The Little Satan, with the United States being called The Big Satan, by some very evil people. There can no longer be the chant heard around the World of 'Death to America, Death to Israel,' and there won’t be. Vote for Bibi Netanyahu for Prime Minister, we have to finish the job that we started!" Trump wrote in the second post.