Netanyahu, foe in tight poll fight
Credit to Author: AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE| Date: Wed, 18 Sep 2019 16:14:24 +0000
TEL AVIV: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger Benny Gantz awaited results from the country’s general election on Wednesday after exit polls showed them locked in a tight race, leaving the country in suspense.
With a hoarse voice and appearing haggard after days of intense campaigning, Netanyahu appeared before supporters in the early hours of Wednesday and said he was prepared for negotiations to form a “strong Zionist government.”
He seemed to hint at openness to forming a national unity government, but did not specifically say so.
“In the coming days, we will enter into negotiations to establish a strong Zionist government and to prevent a dangerous anti-Zionist government,” he told supporters at a post-election rally in Tel Aviv.
The “anti-Zionist” reference was directed at Israel’s Arab parties, with exit polls showing they could become the third-largest force in parliament.
Those parties, running under the Joint List alliance, have said they may potentially back Gantz for premier, which could block Netanyahu from receiving the chance to form a government.
In his speech to supporters in Tel Aviv, Gantz called for a “broad unity government” but cautioned that he too was waiting for final results.
“We will act to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people,” he said.
“We will begin negotiations and I will speak with everyone.”
Three separate exit polls showed Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud and Gantz’s centrist Blue and White alliance with between 30 and 32 parliament seats each out of 120.
Fears of election fatigue did not materialize, with turnout at 69.4 percent, higher than the April polls.
Ex-Defense minister Avigdor Lieberman’s nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party, which could play a kingmaker role, could win between eight and nine seats, according to the polls.
If the polls are reasonably accurate — and they have in the past been off base — either Netanyahu or Gantz will face tough negotiations to form a government.
After the exit polls were released, Lieberman called for a unity government with his party, Likud and Blue and White as he addressed supporters, saying the country was facing an “emergency.’’
AFP