As the day drew to a close in Israel on Tuesday, exit polls in the Knesset election suggested a lead for the bloc of parties opposing prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
As the sun rose and official counts were declared a very different picture emerged showing a slender lead for Netanyahu’s bloc.
On today’s Inside Politics podcast, host Hugh Linehan asks our contributor in Jerusalem, Mark Weiss, to explain where things stand as counting continues.
That lead enjoyed by the prime minister “changes the entire political picture”, says Weiss.
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Polling going into the election predicted Netanyahu’s days were numbered, but the results so far leave both sides “much farther from the required majority” to form a government.
A strong performance by parties representing Israel’s Arab citizens has further complicated the arithmetic. Their gains have come at the expense of smaller anti-Netanyahu parties, making it harder for some opposition groups to clear the electoral threshold and enter the Knesset.
“This has played into Netanyahu’s hands,” says Weiss.
Another long protracted negotiation looks likely but the leading opposition figure, Gadi Eisenkot, has already ruled out forming a government with the Israeli Arabs.
The question is will Netenyahu secure enough support to begin another term or might another election be looming?
The answer is unlikely to come anytime soon.
