Netanyahu Claims Mandate as Exit Polls Leave Israel Deadlocked
(MENAFN) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared a mandate for a right-wing government early Wednesday, even though leading exit polls left his bloc short of a parliamentary majority, and he lashed out at any bid to build a coalition that leans on Arab parties.
Speaking to Likud supporters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said he was waiting on the final tally but stressed that his party was projected to stay the largest in the Knesset. “We are still waiting for the actual results,” he said.
He asserted that the right-wing camp commanded a “decisive majority” among the “Zionist public” and called on Jewish and Zionist parties to rally behind a strong right-wing government.
Netanyahu accused politicians and media outlets of working to normalize a government backed by Arab lists, which he said would put Israel in danger. He branded the Arab parties “anti-Zionist” and charged that they oppose Israel’s existence.
The prime minister also defended his security record, saying Israeli operations had reshaped the Middle East and weakened Iran. Israel, he said, had eliminated an existential threat, but he cautioned that the confrontation would continue as long as Iran’s current leadership stayed in power, accusing it of seeking Israel’s destruction.
The exit polls remain split. A revised projection from an Israeli commercial television channel gave Netanyahu’s bloc 52 seats, the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot 49, and Arab parties 19. Updated projections from the country’s public broadcaster and a second commercial television channel put the two main blocs level at 51 seats each, with Arab parties at 18. Neither bloc reached the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
Turnout hit 77.7%, the highest since 1999, the Central Elections Committee said.
Counting began after polls closed at 10 pm local time (2000GMT) Tuesday. Exit polls are projections, not official results, which are expected Nov. 4.
Speaking to Likud supporters in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said he was waiting on the final tally but stressed that his party was projected to stay the largest in the Knesset. “We are still waiting for the actual results,” he said.
He asserted that the right-wing camp commanded a “decisive majority” among the “Zionist public” and called on Jewish and Zionist parties to rally behind a strong right-wing government.
Netanyahu accused politicians and media outlets of working to normalize a government backed by Arab lists, which he said would put Israel in danger. He branded the Arab parties “anti-Zionist” and charged that they oppose Israel’s existence.
The prime minister also defended his security record, saying Israeli operations had reshaped the Middle East and weakened Iran. Israel, he said, had eliminated an existential threat, but he cautioned that the confrontation would continue as long as Iran’s current leadership stayed in power, accusing it of seeking Israel’s destruction.
The exit polls remain split. A revised projection from an Israeli commercial television channel gave Netanyahu’s bloc 52 seats, the opposition led by Gadi Eisenkot 49, and Arab parties 19. Updated projections from the country’s public broadcaster and a second commercial television channel put the two main blocs level at 51 seats each, with Arab parties at 18. Neither bloc reached the 61 seats required for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.
Turnout hit 77.7%, the highest since 1999, the Central Elections Committee said.
Counting began after polls closed at 10 pm local time (2000GMT) Tuesday. Exit polls are projections, not official results, which are expected Nov. 4.
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