JERUSALEM (AP) – Israeli parliamentary elections on Tuesday have resulted in a virtual deadlock for the fourth time in two years, polls show, leaving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with an uncertain future and the country facing with the prospect of a continuous political stalemate.
Polls on Israel’s three main television stations showed that both Netanyahu and his religious and nationalist allies, along with a group of anti-Netanyahu parties, had not reached the parliamentary majority needed to form a new government. This left Naftali Bennett, the leader of the small nationalist Yamina party, as a potential kingdom, although this was not certain either.
The election was seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s polarizing leadership style, and initial results showed that the country remains as deeply divided as ever, with a series of small sectarian parties dominating parliament.
The results also signaled a continued shift of the Israeli electorate to the right wing, which opposes concessions in peace talks with the Palestinians, highlighted by the strong manifestation of an ultranationalist anti-Arab religious party.
Despite the inconclusive results, Netanyahu claimed that his Likud party won a “great victory” along with his right-wing colleagues.
“It is clear that a clear majority of Israeli citizens are on the right and want a strong and stable right-wing government to protect Israel’s economy, Israel’s security and the country of Israel. That’s what we’re going to do, “he said on Facebook.
Exit polls have often been inaccurate in the past, which means that the final results, expected in the coming days, could further change the balance of power. Even if the final results are in line with Tuesday’s polls, there is no guarantee that Netanyahu will succeed in forming a coalition.
Yohanan Plesner, president of Israel’s Institute for Democracy, said initial exit polls showed the election was still a very close call.
Even though Netanyahu, who is in the middle of a corruption process, could succeed in building a small government, he did not obtain a license “to review the constitutional structure of the state,” Plesner said.
“All three options are on the table: a Netanyahu-led government, a coalition of change that will leave Netanyahu in opposition, and an interim government that will lead to a fifth election,” he said.
Several right-wing parties have vowed never to be in a Netanyahu government again. And Bennett, a former ally of Netanyahu who became a harsh critic, refused to support both sides during the campaign.
Bennett shares Netanyahu’s nationalist ideology and seems more likely to join the prime minister. But Bennett did not rule out joining forces with Netanyahu’s opponents.
In a speech to his supporters, Bennett said he would promote right-wing values in the next government, but failed to support Netanyahu and even took a few veiled blows to the prime minister’s leadership style.
“Now is the time to heal,” he said. “What was is not what will be.”
Bennett said he would run a tough deal with Netanyahu, demanding high-ranking cabinet ministries and perhaps even a power-sharing deal that includes a term as prime minister.
In addition, their partners would also include a pair of ultra-Orthodox religious parties and the “Religious Zionists”, a party whose leaders are openly racist and homophobic. One of its leaders, Itamir Ben-Gvir, is a disciple of the late Rabbi Meir Kahane, whose Kach party was called a US terrorist group before Kahane was assassinated in New York in 1990.
Relying on the party could be deeply embarrassing for Netanyahu on the international stage, especially as he tries to judge the new Biden administration.
The election campaign was largely devoid of substance and was instead seen as a referendum on Netanyahu’s divisive rule.
During the campaign, Netanyahu highlighted Israel’s coronavirus vaccination campaign. He traveled aggressively to provide enough vaccine for 9.3 million people in Israel, and in three months the country vaccinated about 80 percent of its adult population. This allowed the government to open restaurants, shops and the airport in time for election day.
He also tried to describe himself as a global statesman, pointing to the four diplomatic agreements he reached with Arab countries last year. The deals were brokered by his close ally, then-President Donald Trump.
Netanyahu’s opponents say the prime minister has beaten many aspects of the pandemic, most notably by allowing his ultra-Orthodox allies to ignore the blocking rules and fuel a high rate of infection for much of the year.
More than 6,000 Israelis have died as a result of COVID-19, and the economy remains weak, with double-digit unemployment.
They also point to Netanyahu’s corruption process, saying that someone who is charged with serious crimes is not fit to lead the country. Netanyahu has been accused of fraud, breach of trust and acceptance of bribes in a series of scandals that he rejects as a witch hunt by a press system and a hostile legal system.
Even Netanyahu’s reputation as a statesman has suffered little in recent days. The United Arab Emirates, the largest of the four Arab nations that have established official diplomatic ties with Israel, made it clear last week that they do not want to be used as part of Netanyahu’s re-election request after he was forced to cancel a visit. to the country. The Biden administration has kept its distance, in contrast to the support it received in the last Trump election.
Netanyahu’s Likud party should appear as the largest individual party, with just over 30 seats in the 120-seat parliament, followed by the centrist opposition party Yesh Atid, with about 17 seats.
The rest of the parliament would be divided between 10 other small parties. These range from an Arab party to secular left-wing parties to a pair of secular, right-wing parties.
In total, Netanyahu and his allies should have controlled 53-54 seats, while his opponents will control about 58 or 59, and Bennett controls the rest.
Netanyahu’s opponents included a diverse range of parties that had little in common beyond their common animosity toward him. Even if his opponents gain control of most places, it will be difficult for them to reduce their ideological differences on lightning issues such as the Palestinian state and the role of religion in the country.
They were also hurt by the disintegration of the main Arab party in parliament. A renegade party member ran separately, but does not appear to be gaining enough seats to enter parliament, robbing the alliance of key votes.
Tuesday’s election was sparked by the disintegration of an emergency government formed in May last year between Netanyahu and his then-main rival. The alliance was plagued by fighting, and elections were forced after failing to agree on a budget in December.
Netanyahu’s opponents accused him of favoring the blockade in hopes of creating a more friendly parliament that would grant him immunity from prosecution.
After the results, the attention will turn to the country’s main president, Reuven Rivlin.
He will hold a series of meetings with party leaders and then choose the one he believes has the best chance of forming a government as prime minister-designate. This task is usually, but not always, given to the leader of the largest party. This will trigger weeks of horse trading as the appointed prime minister tries to bring together a government with promises of generous budgets and strong ministries for its future partners.
Voting in Jerusalem on Tuesday, Rivlin said the stalemate came at a price.
“Four elections in two years erode public confidence in the democratic process,” he said, even as he urged Israelis to vote again. “There is no other way.”