Benyamin Netanyahu appeared, Wednesday, November 2, “ready to make a comeback”reports Ynetnews. After parliamentary elections in Israel on Tuesday, exit polls from the country’s three main channels suggested a narrow victory for the opposition leader’s conservative bloc.
His coalition would win a majority with 61 to 62 seats out of the 120 in the Knesset.
“Bibi-ism remains the dominant political force” in the country, analysis Ha’Aretz. The newspaper also notes the “unexpected triumph” of its far-right allies, while “the party of religious Zionism led by Itamar Ben Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich should become the third largest” in Parliament.
“Highest turnout since 1999 appears to have played in [la] favor of [Benyamin Nétanyahou] ”comments ynetnews. “Israel’s fifth election in less than four years has infuriated many voters”but the proportion of those who went to the polls “has nevertheless been reported as the highest” for twenty-three years, notes the newspaper. “Israelis were given a day off to vote”recalls for his part Israel Hayom.
“Nothing is played”
“I have experience, I have done some elections, we have to wait for the final results but our path, that of Likud, has proven to be the right one, we are close to a great victory”welcomed Mr. Netanyahu in front of his supporters gathered in Jerusalem.
If confirmed, it would bring back to power the man who already holds the record for longevity of an Israeli prime minister (1996-1999, and 2009-2021), underlines the Jerusalem Post.
“As long as the last ballot is not counted, nothing is decided. We will wait patiently, even if we have no patience, for the final results”launched the outgoing centrist Prime Minister, Yair Lapid, to his supporters in Tel Aviv.
The apparent majority of Mr. Netanyahu is indeed “ultra-mince”emphasizes the Jerusalem Post. Overnight, the Arab Balad party seemed to be growing in importance and able to “stealing victory from the right”. The block of “Bibi”, 73 years old, could, over the official count of the votes, fall below the bar of the 60 seats necessary for a majority of the coalition. “In previous elections, exit polls were off by a small number of seats”notes the daily, according to whom “The country should know with near certainty the results on Wednesday.”
While Mr. Netanyahu is tried for corruption, still anticipates the Jerusalem Post, “if the final results [lui] give him a parliamentary majority and see him back at the gates of power, it would allow his far-right allies, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, to push for an overhaul of the judicial system, which could affect his trial”.