Netanyahu's Likud wins elections
Jerusalem (AsiaNews) - The party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won a surprising victory in national elections. Despite polling predictions, the final results published this morning, gives 30 seats to Likud and only 24 to Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union.
Netanyahu had already claimed victory last night, even if exit polls showed a head-to-head with the opposing party.
In all likelihood - as happened in the past - Netanyahu will build an alliance with smaller parties, religious and extremists, cobbling together a majority among the 120 members of the Knesset.
The elections were seen by many as a referendum on Netanyahu, in power for six years, who has been charged with overseeing the collapse of the economy, polarizing public opinion on security and threats of war by the Palestinians, Syrians, the Islamic State and Iran.
His return to power is likely to further undermine peace efforts in the Middle East, especially with the Palestinians. The day before the elections, Netanyahu said that if returned to power, he would oppose the creation of a Palestinian State. He also promised to expand Israeli settlements in the area of East Jerusalem, the section of the city that the Palestinians want as their future capital.
What's new about this election was the achievement of the Israeli Arab party, which is projected to have won 13 seats. Its leader, Ayman Odeh, a 40-year old lawyer, has managed to unite Jews and Arabs, Islamists, nationalists and communists on a single list. Should Netanyahu be unable to build a majority, they would give outside support to Herzog's candidacy.
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11/04/2019 10:17
