Arab-led parties' election gains electrify Israeli town of Taibe

■ Steady

Israel election ends in deadlock as Netanyahu bloc wins 53 seats, short of a majority

Final results published on Thursday's eve show Netanyahu's party and allies on 53 seats, with the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot on 48. Netanyahu attacked Arab-led parties and claimed they used foreign backing to steal the election, and critics accused him of smear tactics. Israel's Central Elections Committee asked the Shin Bet chief to investigate alleged foreign interference, including suspected Qatar-linked funding and bribery. No bloc has a clear path to a government, and President Isaac Herzog has urged parties to form a coalition and avoid new elections.

• Final results: Netanyahu's bloc 53 seats, Eisenkot's bloc 48, and Arab-majority parties 19 in the 120-seat Knesset, according to counts reported earlier in the week.
• Most Jewish opposition parties rule out governing with Arab-led parties, while Netanyahu has called such a coalition a disgrace and a shame. Balad's leader called the exclusion racist.
• Netanyahu and allies urged the Shin Bet to investigate alleged vote buying and irregularities in Palestinian communities in Israel.
• Gains for Arab-led parties have energised the town of Taibe, while Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv in support of a Jewish-Arab government.