What Happened: Polls have closed in Israel’s national elections, with both incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his primary challenger, Gen. Benny Gantz, claiming victory, The Times of Israel reported April 9. Initial exit polls, however, indicated a close race.
Why It Matters: Now that the polls have closed, the formal counting of the votes can begin to determine the makeup of the next Knesset.
Background: The final vote count will not be finalized until April 11, and it may take additional months to form a new government in Israel’s coalition-based political system.
This is interesting. How long has it been since Israel had a socialist/leftist Prime Minister? They used to elect them all the time. Not anymore. And the big factor there is demographics. The old lefty Ashkenazis, who used to be the majority in Israel, got vastly outbred by groups like the Hasidim, who are way more tribal and aggressive.
Israel: Gantz, Netanyahu’s Parties Each Projected to Take 35 Knesset Seats
2019-04-10T04:00:00Z
What Happened: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and Gen. Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party are both projected to take 35 Knesset seats with 97 percent of the votes counted in Israel’s nationwide election, The Times of Israel reported April 10.
Why It Matters: The failure of some far-right parties to gain seats in the Knesset indicates a degree of stabilization in Israel’s political spectrum as both parties have vowed to take radical steps to reform the country’s political structure. However, the low turnout among Arab voters highlights additional strain on Israeli society amid growing pressure on the government to take a tougher stance against the Gaza Strip and the West Bank.
Background: Israel likely faces contentious coalition talks that could delay the formation of a government for many weeks or even months.
