Israel Election Deadlocked After 90 Percent of Votes Counted

Israel is facing a tight political deadlock after more than ninety percent of the votes have been counted in the recent election. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his allies have secured fifty-three seats in parliament. His top rival, Gadi Eisenkot, trails closely behind with forty-eight seats. Parties need sixty-one seats to form a majority government. Eisenkot could win by partnering with Arab-led parties, which secured a record nineteen seats. That political partnership remains unlikely due to intense risks and past demonization. Israel might have to hold repeat elections or form a unity government, especially if a new war with Iran begins. Meanwhile, researchers are looking at an entirely different era in the region. A remarkably preserved elephant tooth dating back nearly seven hundred thousand years was just discovered in northern Israel. Found alongside ancient basalt stone tools at Gesher Benot Ya'aqov, the fossil reveals a lush prehistoric world. Scientists used CT scans and isotope geochemistry to study the straight-tusked elephant remains. The data shows that early humans and giant mammals shared a stable ecological refuge along the Levantine Corridor.