Former Premier Benjamin Netanyahu is poised to return to power, proclaiming that his right-wing bloc is on the cusp of a resounding election win.
By Erin Viner
As of the writing of this article, 84.3% of votes have been counted, projecting a win by Netanyahu’s conservative Likud and its natural religious and far-right allies of about 65 of the 120 seats in the 25th Knesset.
According to the Central Election Committee (CEC), the final voter turnout in yesterday’s national elections reached 71.3% marking the highest number since 2015.
The latest available results show Likud in front place with 31 seats, followed by Prime Minister Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid with 24, the Religious Zionism / Otzma Yehudit alliance with 14, Defense Minister Benny Gantz’ National Unity and the Shas ultra-Orthodox factions both with 12, United Torah Judaism with 8, 5 mandates to Yisrael Beiteinu, the Ra’am and Hadash-Ta’al predominantly Arab parties, Labor with 4. It is as of yet uncertain whether the leftwing Meretz or Arab Balad parties will reach the 3.25% threshold.
“We have won a huge vote of confidence from the people of Israel,” a smiling Netanyahu told cheering supporters at party election headquarters. “We are on the brink of a very big victory.”
As he vowed to form a “stable, national government,” the crowd interrupted him singing “Bibi, Bib, King of Israel!”
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