Herzog receives final election results, begins coalition talks

President Isaac Herzog received the official results of Israel's 26th Knesset election on Wednesday, beginning consultations with party leaders to determine who will be tasked with forming the next government. The Central Elections Committee approved the results after finding no evidence of compromised election integrity. Herzog will invite faction representatives in ascending order of Knesset seats, with consultations continuing through Thursday. Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats, while the opposition won 48, with Arab parties Ra'am and the Joint List achieving a record 19 seats combined. The political deadlock could lead to another election if coalition negotiations fail. Possible outcomes include a unity government or a minority government, as opposition leader Gadi Eisenkot could receive 67 recommendations with Arab party support. Herzog has urged political leaders to accept results and show flexibility to avoid another election.