Likud Leads with 30 Seats After 99% of Ballots Counted [Netanyahu & Israel]

Arutz Sheva ^ | Wednesday, March 18, 2015 | Elad Benari

[Star Traveler]

Binyamin Netanyahu appears to be headed towards a greater victory than predicted by exit polls, with 30 seats. "Zionist Camp" has 24.

As counting of votes continues in the elections for the 20th Knesset, the Likud party may be headed for an even bigger victory than exit polls originally predicted.

As of 4:25 a.m. (Israel time), 99.5% of the ballots have been counted and the Likud is leading the pact with 30 seats. The “Zionist Union” of Labor and Hatnua has 24 seats.

The Joint Arab List has 13 seats, followed by Yesh Atid with 11 seats and Moshe Kahlon’s Kulanu with ten.

The Jewish Home has eight seats, the haredi parties Shas and United Torah Judaism each have seven seats, Yisrael Beytenu has six and Meretz closes out the list with four seats.

Despite earlier indications that it may have passed the threshold, it appears as though Eli Yishai’s Yachad party will be left out of the Knesset.

Netanyahu addressed supporters of the Likud earlier Tuesday night, saying the results were a “great victory” for the nationalist camp in Israel.

“Against all odds, we have achieved a great victory for the Likud. We have achieved a great victory for the Likud-led nationalist camp and our people,” he said.

[gleeaikin]

How much of the current vote was influenced by Bibi’s statement against a 2 state solution.

No that he is accused of flip-flopping and WANTING a 2 state solution, how will that affect his coallition formation, and particularly the Arab reaction. See new FR thread on his “flip flop.”

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/3269715/posts

[caww]

They should have repeated his full statement the first time around.

[Netz]

The vote is influenced by the idea that the Zionist Camp party (old Labour party) headed by Herzog would only gain power by combining itself in a coalition with 5th Column Arab party (the United List) party. THAT turned many thousands to the Netanyahu's Likud party, not the 2 state solution rubbish.

[jjotto]

The parties in Israel are still in campaign mode, jockeying for power with plenty of egos in addition to policy disputes.

Bibi’s choice is religious parties versus Yesh Atid. Without Bayit Yehudi and Yisrael Beitenu, there will be new elections or unity government. Many weeks before we get there. It took six weeks to form the governing coalition after the last election.