JERUSALEM – Israel’s right bloc led by premier Benjamin Netanyahu hasfailed to get the majority of votes essential to form coalition in theparliament, according to exit polls.
Exit polls suggest that the right bloc led by Netanyahu’s Likud Partyfailed to secure 61 seats in the parliament to form a coalition governmentin the country.
According to KAN, Israel’s public broadcasting body, Likud-led right blocbagged a total of 56 seats whereas the bloc of centrist Blue and Whitealliance led Benny Gantz and left parties secured 43 lawmakers.
Former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s right-wing nationalist YisraelBeiteinu party was able to secure 10 seats in the parliament, making it akey element in the scenario of a coalition. Lieberman’s party earlierrefused to join the ranks of Netanyahu’s coalition in the previous election.
The bloc of Palestinians was able to send a total of 12 lawmakers to theparliament.
Another exit poll by Channel 13 says Netanyahu’s Likud Party won 31 seatsand his right bloc a total of 54 seats whereas the Blue and White party won33.
The channel exit poll gave 13 seats for the [Arab] Joint List and eighteach for Yisrael Beytenu, Shas and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and six eachfor Yamina, the Democratic Union and Labor-Gesher.
Channel 12 exit poll predicted 34 for Blue and White, 33 for Likud, 11 forthe Joint List, eight each for Yamina, Yisrael Beytenu, Shas, and UTJ andfive each for the Democratic Union and Labor-Gesher.
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Channel 11’s poll gave 32 each for Blue and White and Likud, 12 for theJoint List, 10 for Yisrael Beytenu, nine for Shas, eight for UTJ, seven forYaimina and five each for the Democratic Union and Labor-Gesher.
The final unofficial results were only expected on Wednesday afternoon.
According to the Knesset (Israeli parliament) Central Elections Committee,voter turnout as of 8 p.m. stands at 63.7%, up 1.5% from April.
Israel is holding its second general elections this year, due toNetanyahu’s failure to form a government after the previous poll. Observersexpect there may be a third round of elections if the crisis over forming agovernment continues.
The committee said in a statement that more than 6.3 million people wereeligible to vote at 10,915 polling stations across Israel which are set toclose at 10:00 p.m. (1900GMT) on Tuesday.
Thirty-two electoral lists are competing for 120 seats in the Knesset.Observers and opinion polling centers expect only 10 of those lists to winthe parliamentary race. -Anadolu Agency
