So Israelis are now voting for their new Knesset. Polls close at 7am AEDT, and I hope to post an early results update at 9am followed by more detailed results at lunchtime. It appears that the gap between Netanyahu’s Likud and Livni’s Kadima has narrowed in recent days, although Netanyahu remains the clear favourite, with the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu remaining slightly ahead of Labor in all polls. Of course, polls on average only give Netanyahu 23% of the vote, suggesting that even a solid lead for Likud will still result in a lengthy wait before a new government is formed with minor parties.
Update: three different exit polls conducted by three Israeli TV stations all tell the same story: Kadima coming out on top with 29-30 seats, followed by Likud on 27-28, with Yisrael Beiteinu slightly ahead of Labor. However, if you group Likud and YB as against Kadima and Labor, the two blocs are about neck-and-neck. This is too close to call. Haaretz is providing live election results. With 10% counted, the two major parties are in a dead heat, 22% Kadima versus 21% Likud.
Update 2: With 43% of the vote counted, the results are reflecting the exit polls. Kadima 28, Likud 27, YB 16, Labor 12, Shas 11. It would be interesting if Shas defeat Labor, they were predicted to lose ground from 12 to 9 but look like they could hold all of their seats.
First!
So when should results start trickling in, in Australian time?
Results are coming in now.
Likud 21, Kadima 22, Labor 11, YB 13.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1063105.html
Exit polls are suggesting that while Kadima may win a plurality, the right-wing bloc will have a majority.
43% counted.
Likud 22, Kadima 23, Labor 10, YB 13.
Netanyahu has claimed victory and Livni is due to speak soon.
To clarify – the numbers I posted are percentages.
Have any of the Green Parties won seats ?
Looking at the Knesset website:
http://www.knesset.gov.il/elections18/heb/results/main_Results.aspx
seems to indicate that neither of the Greens parties have polled the 2% needed to gain election – Green Movement-Meimad is on 0.85% & The Greens are on 0.34%.
[With 99 percent of the votes counted, Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni’s Kadima Party is in first place with 28 of the Knesset’s 120 seats, with Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party following closely behind with 27 seats.
As the vote progresses, Labor stands at 13 seats, while Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party is expected to garner 15 seats.]
http://haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1063105.html
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