Netanyahu secures fifth term in Israel’s election

The Blue and White party conceded the election race on Wednesday to Likud, while vowing to strongly challenge a government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from the opposition.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secured a fifth term on Wednesday with Benny Gantz conceding the election after more than 95 percent of the votes gave the right-wing bloc a 10-seat lead over the left.

“We respect the decision of the people,” Gantz told journalists, acknowledging his centrist Blue and White alliance had failed to unseat Netanyahu in Tuesday’s elections, The Times of Israel.

Though Blue and White was tied with Netanyahu’s Likud at 35 seats with over 97 percent of ballots counted, it was trailing the party by some 13,000 votes and had no clear path to assembling a ruling majority in the 120-seat Knesset. The right-wing bloc led by Netanyahu’s Likud is poised to receive some 65 seats, compared to some 55 for the center-left, giving it a clear path to victory.

Via Haaretz / Times of Israel