Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said yesterday that he is on the cusp of a landslide victory in his fifth legislative election in less than four years after opinion polls showed his Likud party and its ultra-Orthodox allies won a majority in 62 seats in parliament. parliament.
Netanyahu has enlisted the support of the far right, led by Itamar Ben Gvir, known for his anti-Arab rhetoric and his call for the annexation of the entire occupied West Bank to Israel.
Netanyahu said he “received a huge vote of confidence” from voters and that his right-wing camp is on the cusp of a landslide electoral victory, preparing for a dramatic return to power.
Preliminary results after counting almost 70 percent of the votes show that Netanyahu’s Likud party and its potential allies from religious and far-right parties are aiming for a ruling majority in parliament in Israel’s fifth election in less than four years.
“We are on the cusp of a very big victory,” Netanyahu told supporters at his party headquarters in a hoarse voice due to weeks of campaigning.
Netanyahu’s alliance with the controversial far-right Itamar Ben Gvir, whose religious Zionist bloc is poised to become the third largest party in parliament, has alarmed the Palestinians and some allies, including the United States. But Netanyahu, whose position seemed to be bolstered after preliminary exit polls showed he had a slim majority, vowed to form a “stable national government” as the crowd interrupted him with the chant of “Bibi.” , King of Israel.
