Netanyahu vows to form right-wing government, says ‘Israel’ has chance to eliminate Iranian threat

• Netanyahu said it was too early to determine the outcome, insisting he was waiting for “real results.”
• Both major blocs were projected to fall short of the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, leaving coalition negotiations uncertain.
• Netanyahu rejected a government dependent on “Arab backing” as Arab parties were projected to win a record number of seats, potentially increasing their influence over government formation.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to establish a strong right-wing government and said ‘Israel’ had a “unique opportunity” alongside US President Donald Trump to eliminate the Iranian threat, as revised exit polls on election night showed his bloc locked in a tight contest with the opposition.

Addressing cheering supporters of his Likud party, Netanyahu declared that Likud was the largest party and said, “We must establish a strong right-wing national government.”

However, winning the most seats as an individual party does not guarantee the ability to form a government. Revised exit polls from two ‘Israeli’ broadcasters showed Netanyahu’s bloc tied with the opposition bloc led by his main rival, Gadi Eisenkot, while a third broadcaster gave the prime minister a narrow edge.

Netanyahu cautioned against drawing conclusions from the preliminary figures, saying it was too early to determine the outcome and that he was waiting for “real results.”

Both blocs were projected to fall short of the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority, leaving the composition of the next government uncertain and potentially making smaller parties decisive in coalition negotiations.

Netanyahu also rejected the prospect of a government dependent on Arab parties, saying ‘Israel’ could not be led by a government held up with “Arab backing.” His remarks came as Arab parties were on track to secure a record number of seats, positioning them to play a potentially significant role in determining the balance of power.

Read more: Eisenkot says ‘Israelis’ chose change, warns Netanyahu against politicizing security