Israel's election ends without a clear winner as neither bloc secures a parliamentary majority
Israel's parliamentary election has produced no majority for either of the two rival blocs, so forming a government could take a long time. President Isaac Herzog urged that everything be done to avoid another round of voting.
Results of Israel's parliamentary election, which became clear on Tuesday night, have left the Middle Eastern country without an obvious route to a new government. Neither of the two opposing blocs will have a majority in parliament. Israel uses a proportional representation system, and the outcome means coalition talks could last months or, in the worst case, end in another election.
High turnout
Voter turnout was a record, among both Jews and Arabs. Many people paid thousands to fly in from abroad to vote. President Isaac Herzog called the election a "badge of honour" for Israeli society and said it was remarkable to see how deep the desire for democracy runs in the country.
Unclear coalition arithmetic
Israel has never had a single-party government, so coalitions are the norm. Even so, commentators say this vote exposed deep and possibly growing divisions in society.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu must decide whether to drop his religious allies and build a coalition with right-wingers from the opposition bloc. The opposition, for its part, must weigh whether to cooperate with Arab parties in order to remove Netanyahu from office. Arab parties would in turn have to consider the risk of joining a government that might collapse within months.
Yair Golan, leader of the left-wing Democrats, urged the opposition bloc to form a partnership with Arab parties. Amit Segal, a commentator sympathetic to Netanyahu, said the high Arab turnout reminded Jews on both sides that after years of division they may have to learn to sit together.
Herzog's warning
As he prepared to open coalition negotiations, Herzog acknowledged the risk of a further election and said that everything possible must be done to avoid it.
For years Israel has concentrated on defending itself against external enemies. The question now is whether it must also prepare for threats from within, should the divisions highlighted by this election become unmanageable.
