Binyamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud gained 37 seats ahead of Benny Gantz’ opposition Kahol Lavan’s 32-3 in Monday’s Knesset election and commands a right-wing-religious bloc of 60, according to all the TV exit polls. This third general election in less than a year looks close to breaking the long political deadlock preventing the formation of a government. The Arab Joint list came third with 14-15 seats, the ultra-religious Shas, 9, Yisrael Beteinu (Lieberman) – 6-8, left-wing Labor-Meretz – 7-8, Habayit Hayehudi (right) – 6. and Torah Judaism – 7. If these figures are confirmed in the official tally of real votes, incumbent Prime Minister Netanyahu may be able to form his fifth government, after missing out in the last two rounds. The centrist-left wing bloc led by Benny Gantz can count on 54 seats with the support of the Joint Arab list.
It took Israel’s voter three rounds of to choose a leader, party and bloc to head its next government. Netanyahu’s campaign got off to a dismal start, with his main party rival Gideon Saar predicting he was a spent force. His challengers maintained that with a trial on three corruptions charges ahead of him two weeks after election day, he was unfit to serve as head of government.
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