Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Emerges as Winner of Israel's Parliamentary Elections

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Photo Credit: Reuters

The Prime Minister of Israel has emerged as the winner of the recently conducted Parliamentary elections in Israel after 99 percent of the ballot boxes were counted. The Prime Minister party, the Likud party which is the largest party in Israel, won at least 29 seats in Parliament while the opposition party, Zionist Union alliance won 24 seats. This was made known on Wednesday in the Israeli newspaper, Yediot Ahronot newspaper. 

It was also reported in the media that the leader of the opposition, Isaac Herzog has called Prime Minister Netanyahu to congratulate

 him on his election victory. Netanyahu while addressing cheering supporters at campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv said great victory have been achieved against all odds, a great victory for the Likud party, a great victory for the national camp under the leadership of the Likud and a great victory for the people of Israel. He further added that a strong and stable government have to be built. Netanyahu had put security at the forefront of his campaign, arguing that he is the only one capable of protecting Israel from an Iranian nuclear threat and vowing never to allow the Palestinians to establish a capital in East Jerusalem.

However, the Palestinians have vowed to step up their diplomatic campaign for statehood and will even go to the International Criminal Court in the Hague to speed up, pursue and intensify all diplomatic efforts. 

Anyway, a new Israeli government is yet to be formed and that is a matter of days. This new government I believe would decide the fate of the Middle East peace talks and also the relationship of Israel with its neighbours. 

Adapted from Al Jazeera  English News