Netanyahu, Gantz tied but right-wing has majority

With 97% of the votes counted in Israel's election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud has a clear advantage over Benny Gantz's Blue & White in being able to form the next government, even though both parties are tied on 35 seats.

The ultra-Orthodox parties have performed better than expected with Shas and United Torah Jewry each winning 8 seats while the Labor party fared worse than the polls predicted with just 6 seats. The Arab party Hadash-Taal is also winning six seats while Avigdor Liberman's Yisrael Beitenu and the right-wing religious union each look set to win five seats each. Kulanu, Meretz and the Arab Balad-Raam party look likely to win four seats each.

There have been major surprises with Naftali Bennett and Ayelet Shaked's New Right, Moshe Feiglin's Zehut, and Orly Levy's Gesher all failing to pass the four-seat threshold.

These almost complete results, suggest that Netanyahu can form a right wing coalition of about 65 seats in the 120 seat Knesset.

Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on April 10, 2019

Netanyahu, Gantz tied but right-wing has majority

Benjamin Netanyahu has a clear advantage over Benny Gantz in the ability to form the next government, even though the Likud and Blue & White are tied on seats won.