Israeli parliamentary elections on Tuesday resulted in a political deadlock. The exit polls indicate there is no clear winner in the Israeli election, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s fate uncertain, reported AP.
Meanwhile, PM and Likud Party leader Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory and thanked fellow citizens for the “huge victory” in parliamentary elections and added that the country needed a strong government
“Citizens of Israel – thank you! You gave a huge victory to the right and to Likud under my leadership,” Netanyahu wrote in a Facebook post.
What is the significance of the elections?
The March 23 Knesset elections became necessary when the government could not pass the budget as stipulated by the law.
The 71-year-old prime minister has been in power continuously since 2009. Earlier he served a three-year term in the late 1990s.
In July 2019, Netanyahu surpassed David Ben-Gurion and became the longest-serving prime minister of Israel.
Since January 2013, Netanyahu has had to face five Knesset elections. His electoral successes largely rest on his ability to forge a post-electoral alliance with the religious parties.
This time around, Netanyahu’s campaign has primarily focused on Israel’s Covid-19 vaccination programme and diplomatic success in normalising ties with some Arab countries.
Netanyahu is calling himself a “peacemaker” in the region, citing diplomacy successes achieved without notable concessions to the Palestinians.
But his opponents argue that he should not remain in office while standing trial on corruption charges. Netanyahu has denied all allegations.
After the previous three elections, neither Netanyahu nor his rivals were able to form a stable governing coalition.
(With Agency Inputs)