Israel's Netanyahu makes no victory claim in speech. More here:
JERUSALEM - Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was in a battle for political survival after exit polls following Tuesday’s election showed the race too close to call and the Israeli leader’s decade-long grip on power slipping.
Netanyahu’s appearance in the dead of night at Likud election headquarters was a far cry from his triumphant declaration five months ago that he had won a close election. His failure to form a government after the April ballot led to the new election on Tuesday. The updated polls showed that without Yisrael Beitenu’s projected eight to nine seats, stalemate could ensue: Likud would have the support of only up to 55 legislators, down from 57 in the earlier exit polls, for a right-wing coalition. Blue and White could enlist the backing of no more than 59 for a center-left government.
Coalition-building could be complicated: Lieberman has said he would not join an alliance that included ultra-Orthodox parties - Netanyahu’s traditional allies. Lieberman ran on a platform largely focused on weakening the influence that religious parties have on everyday life in Israel. An election loss could leave him more at risk of prosecution in the graft cases, without the shield of parliamentary immunity that his current political allies had promised to seek for him.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Netanyahu fights for his political life as Israel heads to the pollsIsrael PM Netanyahu was fighting for his political life as the country headed to the polls in an unprecedented do-over election on Tuesday morning.
Read more »
Israel votes in repeat election focused on NetanyahuIn today's election, Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose centrist Blue and White party is running even with Netanyahu’s Likud
Read more »
Rep. Ilhan Omar hopes Israel will break from NetanyahuDemocratic Minnesota Rep. Ilhan Omar hopes Israel will 'make a different decision' and break from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as voters head to the polls on Tuesday.
Read more »
Israel election: Early exit polls show race too close to callEarly exit polling in Israel's general election appears to show Prime Minister Netanyahu tied or behind his main rival, Benny Gantz. ChuckTodd has more.
Read more »