I/III. http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/18/world/middleeast/israel-election-netanyahu-herzog.html
Netanyahu Soundly Defeats Chief Rival in Israeli Elections By JODI RUDORENMARCH 17, 2015 Photo Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel celebrated Wednesday at his party's Tel Aviv headquarters. Credit Nir Elias/Reuters Continue reading the main storyContinue reading the main storyShare This Page TEL AVIV -- After a bruising campaign focused on his failings, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel won a clear victory in Tuesday's elections and seemed all but certain to form a new government and serve a fourth term, though he offended many voters and alienated allies in the process. With 99.5 percent of the ballots counted, the YNet news site reported Wednesday morning that Mr. Netanyahu's Likud Party had captured 29 or 30 of the 120 seats in Parliament, sweeping past his chief rival, the center-left Zionist Union alliance, which got 24 seats. Mr. Netanyahu and his allies had seized on earlier exit polls that showed a slimmer Likud lead to create an aura of inevitability, and celebrated with singing and dancing. While his opponents vowed a fight, Israeli political analysts agreed even before most of the ballots were counted that he had the advantage, with more seats having gone to the right-leaning parties likely to support him. Supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's re-election celebrated on Tuesday night as results came in at his campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv.News Analysis: Deep Wounds and Lingering Questions After Israel's Bitter RaceMARCH 17, 2015 Voters in Nazareth Cheer Gains by Arab Alliance MARCH 17, 2015 Moshe Kahlon, center, leader of the upstart centrist Kulanu party, greeting his supporters Wednesday in Tel Aviv. The party could determine who becomes Israel's next prime minister.Breakaway Party Leader Stays Mum on Where He'll Throw Support After Israeli ElectionsMARCH 17, 2015 Supporters of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel at a campaign rally in Tel Aviv. Voters go to the polls on Tuesday.Netanyahu Says No to Statehood for PalestiniansMARCH 16, 2015 It was a stunning turnabout from the last pre-election polls published Friday, which showed the Zionist Union, led by Isaac Herzog, with a four- or five-seat lead and building momentum, and the Likud polling close to 20 seats. To bridge the gap, Mr. Netanyahu embarked on a last-minute scorched-earth campaign, promising that no Palestinian state would be established as long as he remained in office and insulting Arab citizens. Photo Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni of the Zionist Union. Credit Ronen Zvulun/Reuters Mr. Netanyahu, who served as prime minister for three years in the 1990s and returned to office in 2009, exulted in what he called "a huge victory" and said he had spoken to the heads of all the parties "in the national camp" and urged them to help him form a government "without any further ado." "I am proud of the Israeli people that, in the moment of truth, knew how to separate between what's important or what's not and to stand up for what's important," he told an exuberant crowd early Wednesday morning at Likud's election party at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds. "For the most important thing for all of us, which is real security, social economy and strong leadership." But it remained to be seen how his divisive -- some said racist -- campaign tactics would affect his ability to govern a fractured Israel. Mr. Herzog also called the election "an incredible achievement." He said he had formed a negotiating team and still hoped to lead "a real social government in Israel" that "aspires to peace with our neighbors." "The public wants a change," he said at an election-night party in Tel Aviv, before the Likud's large margin of victory was revealed by the actual vote count. "We will do everything in our power, given the reality, to reach this. In any case, I can tell you that there will be no decisions tonight." Photo An Arab Israeli woman casting her vote in the Arab town of Umm el-Fahm. Credit Atef Safadi/European Pressphoto Agency Based on the results reported on YNet, Mr. Netanyahu could form a narrow coalition of nationalist and religious parties free of the ideological divisions that stymied his last government. That was what he intended when he called early elections in December. President Reuven Rivlin, who in coming days must charge Mr. Netanyahu or Mr. Herzog with trying to forge a coalition based on his poll of party leaders' preferences , said shortly after the polls closed that he would suggest they join forces instead. Continue reading the main story "I am convinced that only a unity government can prevent the rapid disintegration of Israel's democracy and new elections in the near future," he told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz. Both camps rejected that option publicly, saying the gaps between their world views were too large. Mr. Netanyahu and Mr. Herzog started working the phones immediately after the polls closed, calling party heads to begin the horse-trading and deal-making in hopes of lining up a majority of lawmakers behind them. The biggest prize may be Moshe Kahlon, a popular former Likud minister who broke away -- in part out of frustration with Mr. Netanyahu -- to form Kulanu, which focused on pocketbook issues. Mr. Kahlon leans to the right but has issues with the prime minister, and he said Tuesday night that he would not reveal his recommendation until the final results were tallied. Kulanu -- Hebrew for "All of Us" -- won 10 seats , according to the tally YNet reported Wednesday based on 99.5 percent of ballots counted. That is enough to put either side's basic ideological alliance over the magic number of 61 if they also win the backing of two ultra-Orthodox parties that won a total of 14 seats. Continue reading the main story Israel Elections: The Vote and Results 4h Netanyahu Calls on Allies to Help Him Form Government Without Delay 5h Isaac Herzog Speaks to Supporters 5h Moshe Kahlon, Likely Power Broker: 'It Is Not the Time for Rifts' 6h Left-Wing Leaders Back Herzog, but Not in a Unity Government 6h Lebanese Expect Little to Change in Israel, Regardless of Election's Results See All Updates "The clearest political outcome is that Kahlon is going to be the kingmaker, and it really depends on how he is going to play his cards," said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute. "It very much depends on Kahlon." Silvan Shalom, a Likud minister, told reporters that the prime minister would reach out first to Naftali Bennett of the Jewish Home party and to Avigdor Lieberman of Yisrael Beiteinu, two archconservatives, and "of course Moshe Kahlon," predicting a coalition "within the next few days" of 63 or 64 seats. "Israel said today a very clear 'yes' to Prime Minister Netanyahu and to the Likud to continue leading the State of Israel," Mr. Shalom said. "We'll do it with our allies. We'll have a strong coalition that is able to deal with all the important issues." The Zionist Union said, essentially, not so fast. Nachman Shai, a senior lawmaker from the Labor Party, which joined with the smaller Hatnua to form the new slate, said Mr. Herzog could still form a coalition, thought he did not specify how, and advised the public to "wait and see." "They're trying to cash the check and create a certain atmosphere of victory," Mr. Shai told reporters. "We'll do the same." Photo Voters waiting in line on Tuesday at a polling station for the Israeli general elections in the West Bank Jewish settlement of Kiryat Arba, near Hebron. Credit Abir Sultan/European Pressphoto Agency The murky exit-poll predictions led to a murky reaction from the White House, where a spokesman said that President Obama remained "committed to working very closely with the winner of the ongoing elections to cement and further deepen the strong relationship between the United States and Israel, and the president is confident that he can do that with whomever the Israeli people choose." The Joint List of Arab parties won 13 seats, making it the third-largest parliamentary faction. Its four component parties previously had 11. The unity seems to have lifted turnout among Arab voters to its highest level since 1969, said the list's leader, Ayman Odeh. Arab parties have never joined an Israeli coalition, but Mr. Odeh has indicated that he would try to help Mr. Herzog in other ways in hopes of ending Mr. Netanyahu's tenure. Continue reading the main storyContinue reading the main storyContinue reading the main story Yesh Atid, a centrist party that won a surprising 19 seats in the 2013 election, its first, earned 11 this time. The Jewish Home lost votes to Mr. Netanyahu's swing to the right and ended up with eight, according to YNet, down from its current 12. The ultranationalist Yisrael Beiteinu had six, and the leftist Meretz four. A new ultra-Orthodox breakaway faction apparently failed to pass the raised electoral threshold to enter Parliament, which means its votes will be discarded, costing the right-wing bloc. Continue reading the main storyVideo PLAY VIDEO|1:17 Voting for Israel's Next Prime Minister Voting for Israel's Next Prime Minister As the results of Israel's tight election roll in, Israelis reflect on the issues they hope the next prime minister will make priorities. Video by Quynhanh Do, Tamir Elterman and Emily B. Hager on Publish Date March 17, 2015. Photo by Gil Cohen Magen/Agence France-Presse -- Getty Images. Turnout was near 72 percent, four percentage points higher than in 2013, which analysts attributed to the surprisingly close contest between the Likud and Zionist Union. "For the first time in many years, we see a serious strengthening in the two major parties," said Yehuda Ben Meir of the Institute for National Security Studies. "Both parties are higher up at the expense of the smaller parties, which is good for stability, and it's a move to the center. The larger parties are always more to the center than the satellite parties." But Mr. Plesner of the Democracy Institute said the results showed the need for electoral reform because Israel's "system is so fragmented, so unstable, so difficult to govern." Tuesday's balloting came just 26 months after Israel's last election, but the dynamic was entirely different. In 2013, there was no serious challenge to Mr. Netanyahu. This time, Mr. Herzog teamed up with Tzipi Livni to form the Zionist Union, an effort to reclaim the state's founding pioneer philosophy from a right-wing that increasingly defines it in opposition to Palestinian national aspirations. They promised to stop construction in isolated Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, to try to renew negotiations with the Palestinians, and to restore relations Mr. Netanyahu had frayed with the White House. Mostly, though, they -- along with Yesh Atid and Kulanu -- hammered the prime minister on kitchen-table concerns like the high cost of housing and food. Mr. Netanyahu talked mainly about the threats of an Iranian nuclear weapon and Islamic terrorism, addressing economics only in the final days. That was also when he made a sharp turn to the right, backing away from his 2009 endorsement of a two-state solution to the Palestinian conflict and sounding an alarm Tuesday morning that Arabs were voting "in droves." Many voters complained about a bitter campaign of ugly attacks and a lack of inspiring choices. "I am happy today to be able to vote, but I know I'll be unhappy with the result, no matter who wins," said Elad Grafi, 29, who lives in Rehovot, a large city south of Tel Aviv. Sneering at the likelihood of any candidate being able to form a coalition stable enough to last a full term, he added, "Anyway, I'll see you here again in two years, right?" In the Jerusalem suburb of Tzur Hadassah, Eli Paniri, 54, a longtime Likud supporter, said he "voted for the only person who should be prime minister: Netanyahu." "I am not ashamed of this," Mr. Paniri said after weeks of Netanyahu-bashing from all sides. "He is a strong man and, most important, he stood up to President Obama." Reporting was contributed by Irit Pazner Garshowitz from Tzur Hadassah, Israel, and Tel Aviv; Isabel Kershner, Myra Noveck and Carol Sutherland from Jerusalem; Michael D. Shear from Washington; Diaa Hadid from the West Bank; Rina Castelnuovo from Beit Zayit, Israel; and Gabby Sobelman from Rehovot, Israel. II/III. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-31933326 18 March 2015 Last updated at 04:47 Share this pagePrint ShareFacebookTwitter Israel election: Netanyahu's Likud 'set for win' Jump media playerMedia player helpOut of media player. Press enter to return or tab to continue. The BBC's Jeremy Bowen: "If the result that emerges is a government of national unity, another election might not be too far off" Continue reading the main story Related Stories Israel election results: as it happened Likud celebrates surprise success What do voters want? Watch Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party has claimed a surprise victory in Israel's election, Israeli media report. Earlier exit polls had suggested a dead heat with centre-left Zionist Union. With most votes counted, Likud is said to be on course to take 29 seats in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, with the Zionist Union on 24 seats. If confirmed, this would indicate another coalition government led by Mr Netanyahu. Mr Netanyahu would need support from other parties to form a coalition. In a speech to his jubilant supporters in Tel Aviv after Tuesday's polls closed, Mr Netanyahu said he had already spoken to the leaders of other right-of-centre parties about forming a new government "without delay". Israeli Likud party supporters react to the exit polls while they wait for the announcement of the first official results of Israel's parliamentary elections at the party's headquarters in the city of Tel Aviv, 17 March 2015 Likud supporters celebrated after the exit polls were announced Supporters of the centre-left Zionist Union party react to the exit polls outside the party's headquarters during the announcement of the first official results of Israel's parliamentary elections in the city of Tel Aviv, 17 March 2015 Zionist Union had been ahead in the opinion polls He described the vote as a "great victory" for Likud, which had trailed the Zionist Union in opinion polls in the run-up to the election. Mr Netanyahu said the result was achieved "against all odds". line At the scene: BBC's Kevin Connolly, Likud HQ, Tel Aviv The Likud activists were dancing and singing within minutes of the TV stations broadcasting their exit polls quite simply because they can see a relatively simple pathway towards the formation of another right-wing coalition. It would involve Mr Netanyahu teaming up with the secularists of Yisraeli Beitenu and Kulanu, and adding the religious nationalists of Jewish Home and the parties that represent ultra-orthodox Jews like Shas. The outline of a workable coalition can be seen much more easily from this vantage point than from the point of view of the leftist Zionist Union led by Yitzhak Herzog. He campaigned well and if the exit polls are to be believed he polled pretty well too - but the coalition arithmetic simply doesn't look so good for him. Likud celebrates surprise success line Speaking after the exit polls were published, Zionist Union leader Yitzhak Herzog told his supporters he was confident of forming the next government. "We have achieved an unbelievable achievement today. "I will do all that I can in order to create a real socially minded government for Israel." When final results are known, President Reuven Rivlin will give the task of forming a government to a party leader who he thinks has the strongest chance of assembling a coalition. Israel's form of proportional representation always produces smaller parties and coalition government, the BBC's Middle East editor Jeremy Bowen in Tel Aviv reports. Divide Mr Netanyahu could become Israel's longest-serving leader if he secures a fourth term. No party has ever won an outright majority under Israel's proportional representation voting system. Almost 72% of those eligible voted in the election, which ended at 22:00 local time (20:00 GMT). The turnout was four points higher than the previous election in 2013. Israel's Channel 1 and Channel 10 both projected 27 seats each for Likud and Zionist Union, while Channel 2 gave Likud a one-seat lead, with 28 seats. Sixty-one seats are needed in order to secure a majority. The Joint Arab List, an alliance of Israeli Arab-dominated parties, has come third with about 13 seats, the exit polls suggested. It has said, however, that it will not take any positions in government. Mr Netanyahu had vowed not to allow the creation of a Palestinian state if he wins a fourth term, while Zionist Union has expressed support for a two-state solution and promised to repair relations with Palestinians and the international community. line The main players Benjamin Netanyahu: Victory for his Likud party could mean a fourth term for the veteran of Israeli politics. His hawkish stance on the Palestinians and Iran have made him popular with the right but a divisive figure. Yitzhak Herzog: The co-leader of the centre-left Zionist Union electoral alliance, Mr Herzog has accused Likud of depressing Israeli living standards and campaigned against Mr Netanyahu's foreign policy. He has tried to counter Mr Netanyahu's accusations he is "soft" by pointing to his special forces background. Tzipi Livni: Mr Herzog's co-leader in the Zionist Union, Ms Livni is a prominent advocate of seeking more co-operation with the Palestinian Authority. Moshe Kahlon: A former Likud welfare and communications minister under Benjamin Netanyahu, Mr Kahlon's centre-right Kulanu party could play kingmaker in a coalition. Who are the key candidates? line Did you vote in the election? You can share your views by emailing [email protected]. If you are available to speak to a BBC journalist, please include a contact telephone number. III. http://www.haaretz.com/news/israel-election-2015/1.647304 LIVE BLOG: Likud cements victory with nearly all votes counted Netanyahu's party set to win 30 Knesset seats, Zionist Union gets 24; Netanyahu calls for 'strong' government to safeguard security, welfare * 'Kingmaker' Kahlon says doesn't rule anyone out. By Haaretz | Mar. 18, 2015 | 6:06 AM | With nearly all votes counted, Benjamin Netanyahu's Lkud party is set to emerge as the election's big winner with 29 seats. The Zionist Union trails behind with 24 seats. The Joint List of Arab parties is the third-largest party at this point, followed by Yesh Atid, Kulanu, Habayit Hayehudi, Shas, Yisrael Beiteinu, United Torah Judaism, Meretz and Yahad. President Reuven Rivlin said he would work for a national unity government. Ballots were cast at 10,372 polling stations throughout Israel. There are 5,881,696 Israelis (citizens over the age of 18) who were eligible to vote today for the 20th Knesset. Latest opinion and analyses: Netanyahu resorts to race-baiting in attempt to win elections | Netanyahu, Herzog fight Election Day battle of the gap | A last-minute bid to block Netanyahu's 'rescue me' campaign (Yossi Verter) | Top 10 last-minute observations as Israelis start heading for the polls (Chemi Shalev) | A black hole at core of Israeli electoral politics (Aluf Benn) | The winners and losers of Israel's election campaign (Anshel Pfeffer) | Even if Likud forms government, Netanyahu era is over (Barak Ravid) Live updates: 6:06 A.M. With 99 percent of the ballots counted, Likud is increasing its lead with 30 Knesset seats, compared to the Zionist Union's 24. The Joint List, the third-largest party, gets 14 seats, followed by Yesh Atid with 11, Kulanu with 10, Habayit Hayehudi with eight, Shas with seven, United Torah Judaism with six, Yisrael Beiteinu with six, and Meretz with four. It appears at this point that Yahad has not crossed the electoral threshold. (Haaretz) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters at party headquarters in Tel Aviv, March 18, 2015. Photo: Reuters 4:30 A.M. Likud increases its lead over the Zionist Union as the vote count nears completion. (Haaretz) 3:23 A.M. With 60 percent of votes counted, Likud leads with 23.73 percent over Zionist Union's 19.07 percent. Yesh Atid stands at 8.92 percent, the Joint List at 9.63 percent, Kulanu at 7.53 percent, Habayit Hayehudi at 6.4 percent, Shas at 5.88 percent, Yisrael Beiteinu at 5.26 percent, United Torah Judaism at 5.15 percent, Meretz at 3.95 percent and Yahad at 3.04 percent. 2:45 A.M. Some 71.3 percent of Israeli soldiers voted on Tuesday, a 2.3 percent bump compared to the 2013 election. The rate does not include soldiers voting in civilian polling stations. (Gili Cohen) 2:30 A.M. The chief Palestinian negotiator expects Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to form the next Israeli government and has declared that the Palestinians in turn will push forward with diplomatic efforts at the International Criminal Court. "It is clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will form the next government, and for that, we say clearly that we will go to the Hague Tribunal, we will accelerate, continue and intensify" diplomatic efforts, top Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat told Agence France-Presse. (JTA) 1:10 A.M. Netanyahu: "Dear friends, against all odds we have achieved a great victory for Likud, for the national camp which is headed by Likud, for our people. I am proud of the Israeli people, who recognized what's important ... and stood up for real security, economy and social welfare, which we are committed to. "This is what's important to... everyone, Jews and non-Jews alike," he said. "All of you are important to me. "Now we must form a strong and stable government that will care for the security and welfare of all of Israel's citizens," he said. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kisses his wife, Sara, as he addresses supporters. Photo: Tomer Appelbaum 12:25 A.M. Yesh Atid Chairman Yair Lapid: "We are the biggest centrist party, and will remain a political force for many years to come." 12:16 A.M. Zionist Union Chairman Isaac Herzog on the exit polls: "These results will bring Labor back into power." He calls on the "social parties" to unite under him to form "a real reconciliation government." "This is a big victory for the Labor Party, which hasn't done this well since Yitzhak Rabin won in 1992." Referring to his efforts to from a governing coalition, Herzog says "no decision will be made tonight. We have formed a negotiating team." (Haaretz) Zionist Union party co-leaders Isaac Herzog and Tzipi Livni. Photo by AP 12:20 A.M. Yisrael Beiteinu Chairman Avigdor Lieberman says his party's five Knesset seats are a triumph over attempts to "take out" his "entire party." Lieberman says the close election results are further proof that Israel needs a different system of government. Shas Chairman Arye Dery says this election has been the "toughest we have ever experienced." "This was a great battle for legacy, a struggle for a path, a struggle of leadership, a very tough struggle," he said. "But, thank God, the way of the truth won, the Torah's way won." He said that he made efforts to unite with Eli Yishai, but the latter resisted. Zionist Union MK Shelly Yacimovich suggests that Shas and Moshe Kahlon's Kulanu may join a government led by Isaac Herzog. "You treat Kahlon like he's in Netanyahu's pocket, and Shas like it's clearly with Netanyahu," she said in an interview with Channel 2. "People say a lot of things before the election. It's possible that they will understand that they could fulfil their desires under Herzog as prime minister." 12:15 P.M. Kulanu Chairman Moshe Kahlon says he will work with any party working on social, economic lines. -- Peace Is Doable -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Green Youth Movement" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/greenyouth. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
