Netanyahu’s Bloc Leads Israel’s Election but Falls Short of a Majority, Partial Outcomes Show
Partial results from Israel’s general election show veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu just ahead of his rival, former military leader Gadi Eisenkot, but still short of a parliamentary majority.
With 99% of votes counted, Netanyahu’s Likud party and its far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies were expected to gain 53 seats in the 120-seat Knesset. Eisenkot’s Yashar party and three other Jewish opposition groups in his alliance were scheduled for 48. Both leaders have stated that they will seek to build a governing coalition.
Arab-led parties, expected to win a record 19 seats, could serve as kingmakers. However, all but one of the Jewish parties have promised not to cooperate with them.
On Thursday, officials began counting up to 480,000 absentee ballots from groups including as military personnel, diplomats, and hospital patients who were unable to attend polling sites.
These votes could affect the ultimate number of seats allocated to each party under Israel’s proportional representation system.
Once the results are validated, President Isaac Herzog will speak with all political factions and invite the leader he believes has the best chance of success to form a cabinet, which might take several weeks.
If they fail, another election will be needed. During a meeting at his Jerusalem apartment on Wednesday, Herzog praised the previous day’s election turnout of 77.7%, the highest in over two decades. It’s a badge of honour for Israeli society, and it’s amazing to see how strong the desire for democracy is in Israel,” he remarked.
Also Read:
Sultan Bin Ahmed inaugurates Global Congress for Children and Youth Film
Blowback From Unchecked AI is One of the Risks Outlined for Anthropic Investors
