Legislative in Israel: Benyamin Netanyahu's Likud comes out on top

Former Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu in front of his supporters in Ashkelon on November 1, 2022. AP - Tsafrir Abayov

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The Likud, the political party of former Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu, came first in the legislative elections on Tuesday, November 1, on the threshold of a majority with its allies from the religious parties and the far right to form a government, according to exit polls.

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According to polls taken from the polls, carried out by three major Israeli channels, the right-wing party of Benyamin Netanyahu is credited with 30 to 31 seats, out of the 120 in Parliament, ahead of the Yesh Atid party of

which would collect between 22 and 24 seats.

This is followed by nine parties, including the far-right "Religious Zionism" alliance of Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir with 14 seats, and the center-right party of ex-army chief Benny Gantz, credited from 11 to 13 seats.

With its allies, Benyamin Netanyahu's Likud would have 61 or 62 seats, obtaining the majority.

But these scores could still change when the official results are announced, in particular depending on the seats won by the smaller parties.

In the Israeli proportional system, an electoral list must obtain at least 3.25% of the votes to enter Parliament with a minimum of four seats, a particularly critical situation for the parties of the Israeli Arab minority.

Uncertainty about the ability to form a new government

In 2020, Arab parties, hostile to Netanyahu's right-wing bloc, won a record 15 seats after a vigorous campaign under one banner.

But this time, they presented themselves in dispersed order under three lists: Raam, Hadash-Taal (secular) and Balad (nationalist).

According to the exit polls, the Raam and Hadash-Taal parties should pass 3.25%, while the Balad formation is flirting with this minimum.

If it reached it, it would remove seats from Benyamin Netanyahu's "right bloc" with the risk for the latter of not being able to form a government.

This election took place in a climate of

, Palestinian territory occupied by Israel since 1967, where Israeli forces have increased their operations in recent months in the wake of deadly anti-Israeli attacks.

Israeli operations have killed more than 120 Palestinians, the heaviest toll in seven years.

(

AFP)

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• Israel

• Binyamin Netanyahu

• Yair Lapid