Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh stated on Thursday, 29 October 2026, that his administration is monitoring the ongoing Israeli election results. With 91% of the vote counted, Hussein Al-Sheikh noted, "The Israeli elections are an internal Israeli matter. We hope there will be a partner who believes in ending the occupation and in a just peace." He added that "the key to security, peace and stability in the region lies in implementing international legitimacy resolutions." Palestinian officials continue to observe the electoral developments as the final tally nears completion, awaiting the formation of a government to determine the future trajectory of diplomatic relations between the two parties.
Current Knesset Seat Distribution
Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc secured 53 seats in the current vote count, while the opposition Change Bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot reached 48 seats. These results leave both major factions short of the required threshold to govern independently. A political bloc requires 61 out of 120 seats in the Knesset to form a government.
Party-level results show Likud leading the tally with 26 seats. Yashar follows with 21 seats. The distribution of these remaining seats among smaller parties will determine whether Benjamin Netanyahu or Gadi Eisenkot can assemble a coalition that meets the 61-seat requirement. Officials continue to track these numbers as the final allocation of parliamentary seats remains pending.
Role of Arab Parties
Arab parties secured 19 seats in the Israeli elections. These parliamentary seats represent a significant portion of the 120-member Knesset, potentially influencing the coalition-building efforts required to reach the 61-seat majority. The distribution of these seats among the political factions remains a focal point for Palestinian leadership as they evaluate the potential for future diplomatic engagement.
Peace negotiations between the Palestinian and Israeli sides have been stalled since April 2014. This prolonged suspension of formal talks has persisted throughout several electoral cycles in Israel, leaving unresolved the status of final-status issues. Palestinian officials maintain that the absence of a structured diplomatic process complicates the prospects for addressing long-standing grievances. The current monitoring of the electoral results by the Palestinian administration occurs within this context of limited direct communication between the two parties.
