Opposition and Arabs join forces to oust Bibi?

Golan posted a photo of the meeting on the social media platform X, writing that it had been held to "quickly advance a government of change and fulfil the will of Israeli voters".

"This is the time for action. It is our responsibility not to miss the opportunity for change and to save Israel," Golan said. He did not disclose where the meeting took place.

The Democrats said in a statement that the two leaders had expressed their readiness to work quickly and decisively towards forming a "government of rescue and rehabilitation" for Israel, Israeli media reported.

The only one open to cooperation with Ra'am

Golan is the only leader of a Jewish party in the opposition bloc who openly supports a coalition with Ra'am, The Times of Israel reports.

The other parties in the bloc oppose forming a government that relies on the Arab party.

On the same day, Golan also met with opposition leader Yair Lapid, as well as Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party, which heads the opposition bloc.

The Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom described the meetings as political coordination following the elections.

However, Abbas told members of his party at a meeting that the chances of forming a minority government were slim or virtually non-existent, Israel's Channel 12 reported.

The proposal involves a government led by Eisenkot, with Arab parties providing external support.

Distribution of seats

According to the results following the counting of all votes, Netanyahu's bloc holds 53 of the Knesset's 120 seats, the opposition bloc has 48, while Arab parties have secured a record 19 seats.

A majority requires 61 seats.

Likud won 27 seats, Yashar 21, Together 12, the Joint List 11, while the Democrats and Ra'am won eight seats each.

Voter turnout was 77.9%.

Official results are expected to be confirmed next week.

The opposition and Arab parties together hold 67 seats. However, most Jewish parties in the opposition bloc had ruled out a coalition with Arab parties even before the elections.

Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Lieberman reiterated on Thursday that he would not sit "with Bibi or with Tibi."

According to The Times of Israel, this effectively ruled out both a government with Netanyahu and one with the Joint List.

Channel 12 reports that he also opposes a minority government that would depend on Arab parties, noting that Lapid told the Associated Press in May that he would not form another coalition with Ra'am.

Ra'am made history in 2021 by becoming the first independent Arab party to join an Israeli governing coalition.

It was part of the government led by Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, which remained in power until December 2022.