First results of Israeli elections: Netanyahu defeats Gantz, but still without a majority

(Patria) – First results of the elections in Israel indicate a victory for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his Likud party.

However, the third elections in less than a year will not fulfill their purpose either, as even this time the winner (likely) will not have a majority in parliament.

The forecast for the final result is that the Likud bloc, which includes right-wing and religious parties, could end up with 59 seats, which is two less than the minimum for victory.

Voter turnout increased to 71% compared to 69.8% in the previous elections, indicating citizens' efforts to prevent the repetition of the same scenario of a tied result that led to political deadlock. About 200,000 citizens who did not vote in September turned out for the elections. However, the lowest turnout was in Tel Aviv, as well as in parts of the country where rivals Gantz and Netanyahu achieved their best results in previous elections.

Voting ended at 9:00 PM on Sunday, but due to new procedures, the final result will take longer than usual to be announced. The counting of votes from polling stations in quarantine due to coronavirus will also be delayed.

However, Netanyahu already thanked his voters in the early morning hours for a 'huge victory for Israel'.

- This is a victory against all odds because we stood against powerful forces. Our opponents thought Netanyahu's era was over, said the prime minister, who immediately announced a new coalition and a radical new agenda that includes the annexation of large parts of the Palestinian West Bank.

In his address to voters, the leader of the Blue and White alliance, former IDF high-ranking officer Benny Gantz, did not concede defeat:

- This is not the result we wanted. However, the party will not compromise its principles, so we will wait for the final result.

Gantz also promised voters that he would continue to 'fight for our ideology'.

The third elections in a year were not preceded by the usual electoral fanfare or propaganda. Netanyahu sought to present himself as a statesman capable of leading the country out of challenging times, while Gantz pointed to the prime minister's tendency towards division and scandals, offering himself as an honest alternative.

Netanyahu, on the other hand, takes credit for all the positive changes in the country:

- We have turned Israel into a world power, a leader in the fields of cyber technology, natural gas, water, agriculture, and technology, Netanyahu stated in one of his pre-election addresses. He accused Gantz of plotting with Arab members of parliament to overthrow him – a statement that many in Israel characterized as racist and unfounded, similar to his claims that Gantz is corrupt, unstable, and subject to Iranian blackmail.

As after other elections, the easiest way out of the political paralysis would be a unity government of Likud and Blue and White, which Gantz refused last time, citing Netanyahu's involvement in corruption and the ongoing court case, as well as his refusal to be in a coalition with Netanyahu as long as he is prime minister.

If the final election results do not differ from the preliminary ones, Netanyahu faces the continuation of his corruption trial on March 17.

Let us recall that in November, the Israeli Supreme Court indicted Netanyahu on charges of corruption, bribery, and breach of trust, making him the first prime minister to be criminally prosecuted while in office. He continues to deny the charges, calling them fabricated by political opponents. Although he failed in his attempt to change the law to grant himself immunity, as a confirmed prime minister after an election victory, especially if he wins a parliamentary majority, Netanyahu can still influence public opinion and thus the course of the trial, at least through postponements. There is also talk of the possibility of dismissing the attorney general who filed the indictment against him, and ultimately rejecting his decisions.

The results of the army's vote count are still awaited, as the military usually votes for the right, which makes Netanyahu's victory unquestionable, but does not guarantee him a parliamentary majority.

The Jerusalem Post writes that sources close to Likud state that Netanyahu will try to form a government before the trial scheduled for March 17.