Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu (left) and Gadi Eisenkot, leader of the Yashar party. Israel is heading for a political deadlock, with neither Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu nor his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, on course to secure a parliamentary majority as the vote count nears completion. With more than 85% of ballots counted, Netanyahu's right-wing bloc is projected to win 53 seats in the 120-member Knesset, eight short of the 61 needed to form a government. The opposition bloc led by Eisenkot is projected to secure 48 seats, while Arab parties are set to win 19. Final results are expected on Thursday, although the counting of between 430,000 and 480,000 absentee ballots from soldiers and diplomats could delay the outcome by a day or two. Netanyahu's bloc is projected to lose 15 seats compared with its strength in the outgoing parliament. His Likud party is expected to emerge as the largest party in the bloc, with 26 seats. Eisenkot's Yashar party is projected to win 21 seats. The results leave Israel facing three possible outcomes: a minority government, a national unity government or another election. The opposition bloc, excluding the Arab parties, is trailing Netanyahu's alliance in the partial results. For Eisenkot to form a minority government, the Joint List would need to abstain and at least one lawmaker from Ra'am would have to vote in favour. Depending on the final seat count, more support could be required. Even if the two main blocs finish level, the prospects of such an arrangement appear slim. Opposition figures Avigdor Lieberman, leader of Yisrael Beiteinu, and Naftali Bennett, who leads the Together party, have already declared their opposition to a minority government of this kind. For the plan to work, the Joint List would have to take the significant step of abstaining, while Ra'am would need to actively support the government. Neither move currently appears likely. Unity Government Could Offer Netanyahu a Way to Stay in Power With a minority administration looking increasingly improbable, the main alternatives are a national unity government or another election. In a speech overnight, Netanyahu thanked his “loyal partners” and said that “the Zionist majority must unite”. Political figures interpreted the remarks as a message to his existing allies, including far-right leaders Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich, as well as the Haredi parties, that he intends to preserve his current alliance. However, Netanyahu could face pressure from within Israel and abroad to form a broader government that includes Eisenkot's bloc. President Isaac Herzog is among those expected to play a role in the political discussions, while international actors are concerned about the prospect of another right-wing government.