JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu led on Tuesday in a cliffhanger election in Israel, however was still short of a governing majority in a third national tally in less than a year, exit surveys revealed.
FILE IMAGE: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks to his fans as he projects at a Likud celebration rally ahead of the upcoming election, in Ramat Gan, Israel February 29,2020 REUTERS/ Nir Elias/File Image
On the basis of preliminary projections by Israel’s 3 main television channels, Netanyahu, head of the right-wing Likud celebration, claimed success in Monday’s vote over his primary challenger, previous militaries chief Benny Gantz of the centrist Blue and White.
Updated exit polls, nevertheless, showed Netanyahu 2 seats except a majority in Israel’s parliament, a space signaling possible deadlock, with actual outcomes dripping in throughout Tuesday.
A win for Netanyahu, 70, after inconclusive ballots in April and September, would be statement to the political toughness of Israel’s longest-serving leader, who fought the most recent campaign under the shadow of a looming corruption trial.
It would also lead the way for Netanyahu to make good on his pledge to annex, after the election, Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank, and the area’s Jordan Valley, under a peace strategy provided by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Palestinians have declined the proposition, stating it was killing their dream