Under Israel’s Basic Laws, the formation of a government could take several months, and if no one succeeds, a fresh election follows.Israel Election Results 2026 LIVE: Israeli President Isaac Herzog has begun talks with the parties elected to the new Knesset to decide who gets the first chance to form the next government, The Times of Israel reports. Each party is asked to name its choice for prime minister. Herzog must pick the lawmaker he thinks has the best chance of winning enough support in parliament, and that is not always the leader of the largest party.What we know so farIsrael’s Central Elections Committee has certified the results of the October 27 election and found no evidence of fraud. In the 120-seat Knesset, a bloc needs 61 seats to govern. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc won 53 seats, and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot won 48, so neither can form a government alone. The Arab parties, Joint List and Ra’am, won a record 19 seats between them, which could decide the outcome, though Jewish-led parties have long been reluctant to work with them. Netanyahu has called such a deal “a shame and disgrace”. Herzog has until November 11 to finish the talks and name a candidate. Netanyahu stays as caretaker leader until a new government wins a confidence vote, and Israel could face another election if neither side can build a coalition.Story continues below this adKey updatesHerzog began talks on Wednesday with Religious Zionism, Shas, Yisrael Beytenu and Zehut, and will meet the remaining parties on Thursday, ending with Likud.Religious Zionism, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and Likud will recommend Netanyahu.Yashar, the Democrats, B’Yachad and Yisrael Beytenu will recommend Eisenkot.United Torah Judaism has not said whom it will back, and Likud is reportedly pressing it to choose Netanyahu.Joint List and Ra’am have not said whom they prefer, and could back Eisenkot if their votes are needed.Follow the latest updates on the Israel election here. This live blog tracks the key developments as voting day unfolds. The headline, introduction and Top Developments section will be refreshed through the day to reflect the most important news from the vote.Live UpdatesNov 5, 2026 06:51 AM ISTHerzog warned Netanyahu of ‘severe consequences’ for Israel, Jews from unchecked settler violencePresident Isaac Herzog sent a warning letter last month to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top officials, warning of a “highly explosive and dangerous reality” in the West Bank, and lamenting the ongoing “moral disgrace” of settler violence.“The IDF commanders, the police officers and the Shin Bet personnel present a worrying picture of limited tools and a shortage of manpower,” wrote Herzog to Netanyahu, Foreign Minister Israel Katz, IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara in an October 8 letter seen by The Times of Israel.Nov 5, 2026 06:50 AM ISTNetanyahu vs Eisenkot: Who will be Israel’s next PM? What’s happening?The race to form a new government in Israel has entered its next phase after the country’s Central Election Committee certified the October 27 general election results and submitted them to President Isaac Herzog after the commission found no evidence of fraud, as claimed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party in an effort to discredit the vote.The general election results were submitted to the president on Wednesday, who has accepted them and is now poised to hold consultations for two days with leaders of the blocs before choosing the candidate who has the clearest path to form a government. The development comes after the Netanyahu-led bloc won 53 seats; his rival Gadi Eisenkot’s opposition bloc got 48 seats, and Arab-led parties recorded 19 seats in the 120-member Knesset.Nov 5, 2026 06:48 AM ISTWelcome to our live blog. Stay with us, and we will bring you every update as it happens.Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram© IE Online Media Services Pvt Ltd