Netanyahu Faces a Coalition-Building Test After Losing Ground in Israel's Election

Summary

After losing ground in Israel's election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must draw on decades of political capital and reckon with old foes if he is to build a governing coalition, according to The New York Times. The Times of Israel reports that anti-Netanyahu parties control 67 of the 120 Knesset seats but would need difficult compromises even to form a minority government, while Netanyahu could exploit their divisions to remain in power. The Times of Israel also reports that the 67-strong anti-Netanyahu majority is gearing up to act against the caretaker government in the Knesset, but that Gadi Eisenkot must forge his fractious alliance into a cohesive force to oust Netanyahu and become prime minister.

Timeline

1. The New York Times

   1 Nov 2026, 10:20 UTCSource ↗

   The New York Times reports that after losing ground in Israel's election, Netanyahu must draw on decades of political capital and reckon with old foes to build a governing coalition.

2. The Times of Israel

   1 Nov 2026, 15:57 UTCSource ↗

   The Times of Israel reports that anti-Netanyahu parties control 67 of the 120 Knesset seats but would need difficult compromises even to form a minority government, while Netanyahu could exploit their divisions to remain in power.

3. The Times of Israel

   2 Nov 2026, 07:31 UTCSource ↗

   The Times of Israel reports that the 67-strong anti-Netanyahu majority is gearing up to act effectively in the Knesset against the caretaker government, but that Gadi Eisenkot must forge his fractious alliance into a cohesive force to oust Netanyahu and become prime minister.