Election results: Neither bloc commands a clear parliamentary majority

Neither the right-wing nor the opposition bloc secured a clear majority in the Israeli parliament following Tuesday's vote. The result forces every major faction to define victory based on its own specific constituency rather than the total electorate. This has led to a fragmented interpretation of the outcome, with leaders counting different groups to claim the win.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu framed the result around support for Israel as a Jewish state. In his election-night speech, he stated that Likud is the largest party in the country. He argued that the right-wing bloc holds a decisive majority among the Zionist public and those who support the Jewish state. This calculation includes his haredi and far-right partners, such as Shas and United Torah Judaism, as well as the Jewish parties in the change bloc. Arab parties are excluded from this specific count.

Naftali Bennett used a different metric, focusing on military service. He declared that the alliance of those who serve defeated the alliance of draft evaders. Bennett pledged to form a government based on this principle of shared defense burden. In this framework, the haredi parties, which resist conscription, fall on the losing side, contrasting with Netanyahu's inclusive count of those supporting the Jewish state.

Gadi Eisenkot aligned with Bennett's logic, stating that Netanyahu faced a stronger Zionist majority. Eisenkot promised to form a government committed to conscription. Both leaders presented the result as a victory for citizens demanding equal military service, a view that excludes the religious parties who avoid the draft.

Avigdor Liberman took a distinct approach, appealing to Zionist tradition rather than a specific voting bloc. He urged voters loyal to the path of Trumpeldor, Jabotinsky, and Herzl to rise up within Likud. His speech aimed to separate the party's base from its leader, suggesting that a revolt was possible within the existing structure.

Yair Golan offered the broadest interpretation by including Arab parties in his count. On Wednesday morning, he detailed the arithmetic showing that Arab votes hold the same weight as Jewish votes. He argued that the parties opposing the outgoing coalition hold a majority when all citizens are counted. This stands in direct contrast to Netanyahu's exclusion of Arab parties from his victory claim.

Golan emphasized equal citizenship, rejecting the need for Arab voters to pass additional tests for their votes to count. While Bennett and Eisenkot focused on service and Zionism, Golan focused on the democratic majority. The competing definitions of victory now shape the negotiations for a working government.