Elections in Israel – Netanyahu: “We are close to a great victory”

“We are close to a great victory”said today (2/11) the former prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahuafter yesterday’s elections that appear to have put his party, Likud (right), along with its allies, religious and far-right factions, on the way to securing a majority in the Knesset, Israel’s national body.

Assuring she has plenty “experience”Mr. Netanyahu told supporters gathered in Jerusalem that “we have to wait for the final results, but our course, that of Likud, turned out to be the right one” and “we are close to a great victory”.

“We don’t know the results yet, but if tonight’s (exit polls) are as predicted, I will form a government for all the citizens of Israel”added Mr. Netanyahu, who has remained longer than anyone else in the office of prime minister since the establishment of the state.

Amid corruption trials following a series of scandals, which he carefully avoided touching on in his speech today, Mr Netanyahu lost power last year, ousted by a motley coalition now led by centrist Yair Lapid.

So Mr. Netanyahu is on his way to securing a majority of seats in the Knesset, including the religious party and far-right MPs.

Israel’s national election commission has so far released only a few results, which do not allow for safe conclusions to be drawn about the outcome.

Palestine: Israel’s election results testify to the rise of extremism

The results of the parliamentary elections held yesterday Tuesday (1/11) at Israel testify to the “rise of extremism and racism” in Israeli society, commented Palestinian Prime Minister Mohammed Stagehafter the publication of exit polls that recorded a jump in the votes of the Israeli extreme right.

“The increase in the percentages of far-right religious parties in Israeli elections testifies to the rise of extremism and racism in Israeli society, from which our people have been suffering for years”Mr. Stageh emphasized in a press release issued in Ramallah, headquarters of the Palestinian Authority.

“We had no illusions that the Israeli elections would reveal a partner for peace”Mr. Stageh added.

Israeli television networks forecasts credit to Likudthe right-wing faction of the former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahua percentage able to give him first place with about thirty seats, ahead of the party Go to Atid (“There is a future”) of the outgoing head of government Yair Lapidwith about 24 seats.

The faction “Religious Zionism” is on track to double its strength, picking up 14 members in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament, in exit polls that also bode well for so-called ultra-Orthodox religious parties.

According to the exit polls, Mr. Netanyahu is on course to secure a majority of seats in the Knesset if the seats of the religious parties and the far right are included.

“The results show that Netanyahu has a better chance of forming a government with fascists on his side. And this worries us a lot as it shows the direction this country is taking and what awaits the Palestinians who live in this country,” Aida Touma-Suleiman, a member of parliament from the Israeli Arab faction Hadas-Taal (“Democratic Front”) told AFP for Peace and Equality”).

Israel’s Arab minority (about 20% of the population) consists mainly of the descendants of Palestinians who remained in their lands after the establishment of the Israeli state in 1948.