Israel faces election deadlock as no bloc reaches 61 Knesset seats

■ Steady

Israel's election leaves no bloc with 61 seats as Likud alleges Arab-party vote fraud

On Friday, Likud alleged without evidence that record gains by Arab parties were partly driven by voter fraud, and reports said neither bloc has the 61 seats needed to govern. Final results released on Thursday show Netanyahu's bloc on 53 seats and the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot on 48. Arab-majority parties hold 19 seats, which gives them a potential kingmaker role. The opposition has a majority only if it works with Palestinian-Israeli parties, and most Jewish opposition parties have ruled that out.

• Netanyahu's bloc won 53 seats and Eisenkot's bloc 48, in the 120-seat Knesset.
• Netanyahu and allies urged the Shin Bet to investigate alleged vote buying and irregularities in Palestinian communities in Israel, and he was accused of smear tactics. The Central Elections Committee separately asked the Shin Bet chief to look into alleged foreign interference linked to Qatar.
• President Isaac Herzog must choose who to tap to form a government, and he has urged parties to form a coalition and avoid new elections.
• Analysts cited in the reports say new elections are a possible outcome, and Netanyahu would stay on as caretaker prime minister in the meantime.