Netanyahu leads Israeli elections: Preliminary data

Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu leads parliamentary elections with 96 percent of the ballot boxes counted, trailed by archrival Zionist Union.

Accordingly, Likud has so far secured 29 seats and its nearest rival, the center-left Zionist Union, won 24 seats in the Tuesday parliamentary polls, reported Ynetnews, the website for Israeli daily Yediot Ahronot.

The United Arab List is in third place with 14 seats, followed by the centrist Yesh Atid with 11 seats, and Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu with 10 seats. 

Exit polls had earlier given the archrivals almost equal standing.

Figures published by public Channel 1 and private Channel 10 televisions had given the two 27 seats each in the 120-member Knesset (Israeli parliament).

A third exit poll by private Channel 2 had given Likud 28 seats, a one-seat lead over Isaac Herzog (pictured above) of the Zionist Union.

Celebrating early

Following the elections and prior to the release of the preliminary results, Netanyahu declared victory in the tight race.

"We achieved a great victory for the nationalist camp, headed by the Likud," Netanyahu told supporters at his Tel Aviv campaign headquarters shortly after midnight.

He said he already reached out to leaders of smaller parties in the wider right-wing bloc and urged them to quickly set up a coalition, which he insisted should be "strong and stable."

Israeli minister and Likud member Silvan Shalom has also sounded upbeat about the returns, saying the party would seek to set up a coalition government with right-wing parties and ultraorthodox groupings.

"Israel has said today a very clear yes to Prime Minister Netanyahu and the Likud," Shalom said.

"We are willing to form a coalition in short time, in next few days. I think we will have strong coalition," he has noted.

The results were characterized by sharp contrast from the opinion surveys conducted prior to the elections, which had predicted a humiliating defeat for Netanyahu, who is in the sixth year of his political leadership.

The Israeli premier has been lately facing growing criticism for his handling of domestic politics and also a controversial anti-Iran speech he made at the US Congress on March 3.

Herzog: Not on my watch

Herzog, meanwhile, refused to concede defeat, telling supporters early Wednesday that he will make "every effort" to create the next coalition government.

"As we wait for the real results, everything is open," he noted.

Herzog said he has spoken to potential coalition partners and is committed to forming a "real social reconciliation government."

Election day ‘propaganda’

Israel's electoral authorities blocked the broadcast of a press conference on Tuesday by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as voters went to the polls, saying that "propaganda" was banned on election day.

Netanyahu responded furiously in a video posted on Facebook.

"All the politicians are speaking to the press today... and it was blatant election propaganda," he said.

"The only one they decided to ban from speaking to the press was me!" he spluttered.

Voting fraud

Meanwhile, according to Ynetnews, Israeli police opened 51 investigations on Tuesday related to alleged voting fraud ranging from impersonation, stolen ballots and threats against ballot officials, and 23 suspects were being pursued.

HN/MHB/AS

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