Trump could broker Israel unity deal as election deadlock looms

Israel faces a potential second election as neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor rival Gadi Eisenkot has a clear path to forming a government, with a costly political deadlock looming. Netanyahu's Likud remains the largest party but lacks a majority, while Eisenkot's anti-Netanyahu bloc is short of the 61 seats needed without support from Arab parties, which some allies reject. President Isaac Herzog is pushing parties to avoid another vote, estimated to cost over $1 billion. A unity government between Likud and center-right parties could break the impasse, but both sides resist compromising on campaign promises. US President Donald Trump may intervene, as Israeli political stability is needed for progress on Iran and Saudi normalization, potentially brokering a power-sharing deal.