Initial results of the Israeli election show Likud leading, but the race to form a government continues
The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported that with 1.6 million votes counted, the Likud party led by Benjamin Netanyahu is in first place with 22.2 percent of the vote, while the Yashar party has won 15.4 percent. Israel’s Channel 12 TV also reported that Likud is leading with 31 percent of the vote.
After the publication of the initial results, Gadi Eisenkot, the leader of Netanyahu’s opposition coalition, announced that he is ready to form a new government, and exit polls from polling stations indicate a slight lead for his coalition over Netanyahu’s coalition. However, based on these polls, neither party has achieved the majority required to form a government.
Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking to his supporters in Jerusalem, claimed that Likud is the largest party in the country and that the right wing has won a clear majority; he called for the formation of a “right-wing national government” and said that Israel should not rely on Arab parties.
Netanyahu also accused television networks of trying to discourage his supporters from participating in the election by broadcasting predictions about the opposition parties’ better performance; he said the final results would be announced in the next day or two.
