Tel Aviv

Hundreds of Israelis rallied on Saturday, 31 Oct, urging the opposition to work with Arab-majority parties to remove Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Neither bloc won a majority in the 120-seat Knesset after Tuesday's election. Anti-Netanyahu Jewish-majority parties hold 48 seats and two Arab-majority parties hold 19, which together would give a 67-seat majority. Opposition chief Gadi Eisenkot has not decided whether to seek a coalition with Arab parties, and some opposition parties oppose the idea. Right-wing activists held a separate protest in Tel Aviv against cooperation with Arab parties.

The 27 Oct election results will be certified and delivered to President Isaac Herzog on 4 Nov, confirming that Netanyahu's bloc secured 53 seats while the Change bloc won 48 and Arab parties captured a record 19 seats, leaving no side with the 61 seats needed to form a government. Voter turnout reached 77.7%, the highest since 1999. Herzog can assign a 28‑day coalition mandate, extendable by 14 days, and is expected to consult party leaders before deciding whom to task with building a coalition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says Israel will explore cryptocurrency to bypass possible banking sanctions, while the Bank of Israel and Israel Central Bank state digital currencies cannot replace trade ties or evade sanctions. Economists, entrepreneurs and opposition parties label the proposal bizarre and warn it could spur capital flight.