How Trump could break Israel’s post-election deadlock

Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host and diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what’s behind the news that spins the globe.

On Tuesday, Israelis went to the polls for the first time since the Hamas invasion of October 7, 2023.

One might think the massacre and the subsequent wars would result in a massive political shake-up. But they did not. Israelis stuck to their voting patterns from four years ago, despite everything that has happened since.

Neither the Benjamin Netanyahu bloc nor the opposition Gadi Eisenkot bloc has a clear path to 61 seats and a government.

WATCH the full episode here:

A major headline from the elections is the massive turnout in the Arab sector, driven by a desire to get Itamar Ben-Gvir out of office. That only complicates the math. Though the two Arab parties want Netanyahu out of power, most parties in the opposition bloc have said they won’t sit with them.

Another round of elections is a possibility, but that is not an ideal outcome. It will cost the economy over $1 billion, will extend the political deadlock for months, and will bring in another period of irresponsible campaign rhetoric.

More and more voices are calling for a unity government, but that won’t be easy to bring about. Netanyahu will want to lead it, but the Eisenkot bloc ran on ousting him.

There is an outside force that could make that happen, and that force sits in the White House. US President Donald Trump has every reason to push for it, besides the taboo against involvement in other countries’ domestic politics.

But Trump clearly doesn’t care about that, having twice endorsed Netanyahu in the lead-up to elections.

He wants a stable Israel with which he can partner in confronting Iran and making peace with Saudi Arabia. A rotational government with Netanyahu leading Israel for two years — the remainder of Trump’s term — then contending for the role of Israel’s president as Eisenkot takes over would make sense for Trump. It could also get rid of Ben Gvir, whom the Trump Administration sees as a troublemaker who harms both Israeli and US interests.

If President Isaac Herzog isn’t able to get the sides together, then look out for an invitation to the White House for the party leaders.

That could be a good outcome for Trump, and might be the best chance that Israel has as well.

Lazar Focus is available on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Yitzchak Ledee.

Check out last week’s Lazar Focus:

Is our live election coverage important to you?

Are you relying on The Times of Israel for accurate and timely coverage of the 2026 Israeli election? If so, please join The Times of Israel Community. For as little as $6/month, you will:

• Support our independent journalists who are working around the clock to report political developments as they unfold;
• Read ToI with a clear, ads-free experience on our site, apps and podcasts; and
• Gain access to exclusive content shared only with the ToI Community, including our DocuNation streaming film series and weekly letters from founding editor David Horovitz.

Join The Times of Israel Community JOIN NOW Already a member? Sign in to stop seeing this