{
  "id": 16871871,
  "title": "Netanyahu’s bloc projected to win 56 seats as Israeli election count nears 50%",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/netanyahus-bloc-projected-to-win-56-seats-as-israeli-election-count",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-10-28T08:18:36.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Daily Times",
    "slug": "daily-times",
    "url": "https://dailytimes.com.pk/1573389/netanyahus-bloc-projected-to-win-56-seats-as-israeli-election-count-nears-50/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": null,
  "summary": "As more than half of the votes have been counted in Israel's general election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is narrowly ahead of rival Gadi Eisenkot, according to Channel News Asia. Daily Times reports that Netanyahu’s political bloc is projected to capture 56 seats in the 120-member Knesset, which remains five seats short of the 61-seat threshold required for a governing majority. Free Malaysia Today reports that after 51.8% of ballots were counted, Netanyahu's bloc was shown to have 55 seats, while Eisenkot's opposition bloc held 49 seats and Arab parties held 16. Both Netanyahu and Eisenkot have vowed to form a government despite neither being projected to win a majority.\n\nAddressing supporters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu called for a strong right-wing government and urged the Jewish and Zionist majority to unite, according to Free Malaysia Today. Egypt Independent reports that Netanyahu issued an emergency appeal for supporters to vote for the Likud party, warning that there are attempts to \"steal\" the election. He characterized the arrest of three individuals in southern Israel, described as senior financial officials within the United Arab List and found with envelopes of cash, as a \"criminal matter.\" Netanyahu also noted higher voter turnout rates among the Arab community in the south compared to the Jewish community.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 8,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Netanyahu's bloc down to 57 seats, as 42 percent of ballots counted",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/netanyahus-bloc-down-to-57-seats-as-42-percent-of-ballots-counted",
        "published": "2026-10-28T04:36:26.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Arutz Sheva - Israel National News",
        "title": "Updated partial official results: 48.4% in, Netanyahu bloc 57, anti-Netanyahu bloc 47",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/updated-partial-official-results-48-4-in-netanyahu-bloc-57-anti",
        "published": "2026-10-28T05:39:28.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "Netanyahu bloc leads after half of Israeli votes counted but no majority",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/netanyahu-bloc-leads-after-half-of-israeli-votes-counted-but-no",
        "published": "2026-10-28T07:54:24.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "Netanyahu bloc leads after half of Israeli votes counted but no majority",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/netanyahu-bloc-leads-after-half-of-israeli-votes-counted-but-no-16872199",
        "published": "2026-10-28T07:58:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Dawn",
        "title": "Netanyahu bloc leads as Israeli votes counted, but no majority",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/netanyahu-bloc-leads-as-israeli-votes-counted-but-no-majority",
        "published": "2026-10-28T09:10:42.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The National UAE",
        "title": "Israel election live: Netanyahu's coalition ahead as change bloc urged to embrace Arab parties",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/israel-election-live-netanyahus-coalition-ahead-as-change-bloc-urged",
        "published": "2026-10-28T09:11:54.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Toronto Sun",
        "title": "Netanyahu bloc leads after half of Israeli votes counted but no majority",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/28/netanyahu-bloc-leads-after-half-of-israeli-votes-counted-but-no-16891867",
        "published": "2026-10-28T11:02:29.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}