‘We Are Close to a Big Victory,’ Says Netanyahu After Israel Vote
FILE PHOTO: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu smiles during the weekly cabinet meeting in Jerusalem December 8, 2019. 
Mary ManleyOn Wednesday Israel’s former prime minister — who served for 12 years straight until last year — appeared positioned to reclaim power. Netanyahu, 73, is the Leader of the Opposition and Chairperson of Likud – National Liberal Movement, Israel’s center-right to right-wing political party. He is also currently on trial for corruption charges. Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday he was “close” to making a comeback and forming a right-wing government after projected election results showed a majority coalition was within reach for the former Israeli prime minister.”We are close to a big victory,” Netanyahu told supporters at a rally in Jerusalem. “We don’t know the final results yet, but if the results are like the exit polls, I will form a national (right-wing) government.”If exit polls continue to hold Netanyahu will most likely win the country’s fifth election in less than four years. The Likud Party appears to be on track for first place in the election with 30 to 32 seats, and support from the extreme-right Religious Zionism Party, and the two ultra-Orthodox parties (Shas and United Torah Judaism) would back Netanyahu with 61 or 62 seats.Justice Minister Gideon Saar, a former member of the Knesset for the Likud Party who broke away from Netanyahu, said that Israel is risking electing a “coalition of extremists”. Aida Touma-Suleiman, an Arab-Israeli lawmaker, also warned that Netanyahu is planning to ally himself with “fascists.”Yohanan Plesner, head of the Israel Democracy Institute, cautioned that the exit polls may not hold. While Netanyahu’s rival, Prime Minister Yair Lapid, said “nothing” was decided. In June of last year Lapid was able to topple Netanyahu from power after forming a coalition government of ideologically diverse parties which itself collapsed this summer. Lapid is projected to win between 22 and 24 seats in this year’s election.
