Election in Israel: “Stalemate situation may not be solvable”

Interview Election in Israel “Stalemate situation may not be solvable” As of: October 28, 2026 • 11:30 a.m

Israel could be heading for new elections again after the parliamentary elections, says Middle East expert Woertz in an interview. At the same time, new fighting in the Iran war cannot be ruled out - from which Prime Minister Netanyahu could also benefit.

NDR Info: Did you expect such a close race and that Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud would win so many votes?

Eckart Woertz: It was widely expected that we would have this stalemate situation, that is, that the government bloc would lose its absolute majority of seats, but the opposition bloc would not win one either. Now you have this situation and you have to see how it can be resolved - or whether it perhaps cannot be resolved at all. Then there would be new elections again, as was the case repeatedly in the period from 2019 to 2021.

All developments on the Israel election in the live blog. more

NDR Info: If the government is not formed, Netanyahu could initially remain in office at the head of a transitional government. But what would that mean for Israel? A permanent political crisis leading to new parliamentary elections?

Woertz: A certain degree of uncertainty could remain. You also have to realize that there could be other changes in the near future. There are fears that there could be another major clash in the Iran war, which would also somewhat change Israel's internal dynamics. And the many Israelis abroad who have now traveled for this election and who tend to belong to the centrist and left-wing spectrum would probably not necessarily come again in a new election.

In this respect, Netanyahu could certainly be speculating that, as a political survivalist, he might do better in new elections than in these elections.

But first you have to see whether it is possible to form a government. The opposition itself would certainly have a majority if the Arab parties tolerated it. However, various opposition parties have ruled out such toleration in the past. That would be a possibility, for example, that an agreement might be reached after all.

About the person Professor Eckart Woertz is director of the GIGA Institute for Middle East Studies in Hamburg. Eisenkot's strengths NDR Info: Netanyahu has an advantage: He has experience as a prime minister. They also called him a political survivor. His challenger, former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, doesn't have that. But could Eisenkot still manage to bring its strengths into play more?

Woertz: Eisenkot's strength is that when it comes to military and security issues, he is definitely a hardliner with considerable authority than a former military man, but is much more down-to-earth than Netanyahu and doesn't have that smell of corruption about him. Netanyahu will have to answer for this in court.

Netanyahu's challenger Eisenkot wants to overcome the social divide. Who is the ex-military man? more

NDR Info: What do you expect Israel's enemies to do now - Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza? Will you try to take advantage of this unclear political situation?

Woertz: I don't think this will significantly weaken Israel militarily, even if Netanyahu tries to give that impression. And I believe, and the other side also knows this, that the military and the security authorities are still able to act. In this respect, I would consider this to be less problematic for Israel.

However, after a stalemate that is not resolved and after the midterm elections in the USA, when Donald Trump may be more inclined to take up arms again - because he no longer has to politically fear rising oil prices - there could be another regional escalation, which Netanyahu would certainly welcome.

The USA is Israel's most important ally. But many US citizens view the Netanyahu government critically. more

NDR Info: Are you assuming that this will happen again, that the USA, Trump and Israel will strike again with Netanyahu?

Woertz: This risk exists and is also treated as such in the relevant circles. Certain evidence that civilian members of US military personnel have been evacuated in the region would also suggest that this is a possibility.

And politically it might suit Netanyahu. He could present himself as "Mister Security" and speculate on so-called "rally around the flag" effects, which would bring his camp closer together.

Today, voters in Israel will decide whether Prime Minister Netanyahu can rule for another few years. more

NDR Info: What would that mean for the region? Further destabilization?

Woertz: It is already very unstable. That would mean a further escalation. The Iran war was pursued with unclear political goals and, to the extent that these were formulated in a very chaotic manner by the American president, they were not necessarily achieved.

Iran's possible nuclear armament has been significantly set back, but not eliminated. And a very important new problem has just been created, namely the closure or endangerment of shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz. And I would ask a big question mark as to whether this can be solved with another round of armed conflict.

The interview was conducted by Stefan Schlag, NDR Info. The interview was slightly adapted for the written version.

This topic in the program: NDR Info | News | Oct 28, 2026 | 7:48am