Despite exit polls indicating that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc may fall short of the 61 Knesset seats needed to form a government, senior Likud officials remain confident that Netanyahu could ultimately secure another term as prime minister.

According to a report by Channel 14 political correspondent Mati Tuchfeld, Likud officials believe President Isaac Herzog may task Netanyahu with forming the next government, even if his bloc fails to win an outright majority.

The reasoning is that the opposition parties remain deeply divided, with no single candidate appearing capable of securing recommendations from 61 Knesset members. Meanwhile, Likud is projected to remain the largest individual party by a considerable margin.

Exit polls currently place Netanyahu’s bloc at between 52 and 60 seats, depending on the television network. However, Likud officials point to Netanyahu’s history of overcoming seemingly impossible political circumstances, including his ability to expand parliamentary support beyond his original bloc.

Three potential scenarios are reportedly under consideration.

The first involves forming a national unity government with former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot and his Yashar party. Such an arrangement could provide Netanyahu with the additional seats necessary to establish a governing coalition, although significant political disagreements would need to be resolved.

A second possibility involves bringing either Naftali Bennett or Avigdor Lieberman into a Netanyahu-led coalition. Both have been political rivals of the prime minister, making such an arrangement difficult, but the election results could create pressure for new political alliances.

The third scenario would involve persuading individual opposition lawmakers to break ranks and join Netanyahu’s coalition, potentially providing the seats needed to reach the 61-member threshold.

Another possibility is a prolonged political deadlock, particularly if Netanyahu’s bloc finishes with approximately 59 seats. Such a result would leave him just short of a majority while potentially preventing the opposition from forming an alternative government.

Under that scenario, Israel could face weeks of coalition negotiations, political maneuvering and potentially another round of elections if no candidate succeeds in assembling a majority.

Importantly, being the largest party does not automatically guarantee Netanyahu the mandate to form a government. President Herzog must consult with the elected factions before deciding which Knesset member has the best chance of establishing a coalition.

For now, the exit polls suggest that neither political camp has a clear path to power.

But as Likud officials are emphasizing, falling short of 61 seats on election night does not necessarily mean Netanyahu’s time as prime minister is coming to an end.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)