Page 8 - AT

A8 WORLD NEWS
Tuesday 3 March 2020
Exit polls: PM gains in Israel vote, but short of majority

By ARON HELLER nationalist allies before his
Associated Press trial begins. He has failed
JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli to secure himself immunity
Prime Minister Benjamin Ne- from prosecution, but with
tanyahu held a solid edge a strong hold on power he
over his main rival in Israel's could seek other avenues
third election in under a to derail the legal proceed-
year, exit polls indicated ings against him.
Monday night, but it was Netanyahu is charged with
unclear whether he can bribery, fraud and breach
clinch the parliamentary of trust stemming from ac-
majority needed to claim cusations he accepted
victory. lavish gifts from billionaire
Exit polls on Israel's main friends and promised to
TV channels showed Ne- promote advantageous
tanyahu and his national- legislation for a major
ist and religious allies win- newspaper in exchange
ning 60 seats, one short of for favorable coverage. He
a parliamentary majority. vowed to prove his inno-
The center-left bloc, led by cence in court.
former military chief Benny Maverick politician Avig-
Gantz, was projected to dor Lieberman once again
win 52 to 54 seats. looms as a potential king-
If the official results match maker, with neither Ne-
the exit polls, Netanyahu tanyahu nor Gantz able
would receive a major to secure a parliamentary
boost ahead of his trial on majority without his sup-
corruption charges, set to port. Lieberman has not
begin March 17. committed himself to either
Netanyahu, the longest- candidate, although he
serving leader in Israeli his- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara Netanyahu cast their ballots during has promised there will not
tory, has been a caretaker the Israeli legislative elections at a polling station in Jerusalem, Monday, March 2, 2020. be a fourth election.
prime minister for more Associated Press Official results are expect-
than a year as a divided ed overnight. That's when
country has weathered well turn into merely a pre- tions to allow voting by which strongly favors Israel the real jockeying may get
two inconclusive votes and amble to another election. hundreds of Israelis who and was rejected by the underway, with attention
prolonged political paraly- "I hope that today marks have been ordered to re- Palestinians, had been ex- shifting to President Reuven
sis. With opinion polls fore- the start of a healing pro- main in home quarantine pected to give Netanyahu Rivlin, who is responsible for
casting another deadlock, cess, where we can be- after possible exposure to a major boost. But both choosing a candidate for
Netanyahu had sought gin living together again," the virus. Netanyahu and Gantz wel- prime minister. He is sup-
a late surge in support to Gantz said upon casting "The corona thing is com- comed the initiative, and it posed to select the leader
score a parliamentary ma- his ballot in his hometown pletely under control. To- appears to have had little who he believes has the
jority along with other na- of Rosh Ha'ayin in central day we've taken all the impact on voters. best chance of putting to-
tionalist parties for a fourth Israel, warning voters not to precautions that are nec- Gantz says he favors a na- gether a stable coalition.
consecutive term in office "get drawn in by the lies or essary. tional unity government The honor usually goes to
and fifth overall. by the violence" after the People can go and vote with Likud, but only if it rids the head of the largest par-
He faced a stiff challenge acrimonious campaign. with complete confi- itself of its longtime leader ty, but not necessarily. Just
once again from Gantz, There was little fanfare dence," Netanyahu said because of the corruption as important is the number
whose centrist Blue and ahead of the vote, with after casting his ballot in charges against him. Ne- of lawmakers outside the
White party ran on a cam- a noticeable absence of Jerusalem. tanyahu, who still enjoys party who recommend the
paign message that the campaign posters on the Netanyahu sought to por- widespread support in his candidate.
prime minister is unfit to streets and public rallies tray himself as a statesman party, insists he must remain Rivlin's selection will then
lead because of the serious that typically characterize who is uniquely qualified to prime minister in any unity have up to six weeks to
charges against him. the run-up to Israeli elec- lead the country through deal. form a coalition. If he fails,
Both parties appear un- tions. challenging times. Gantz With his career on the line, another candidate then
able to form a coalition The elections commission has tried to paint him as Netanyahu campaigned has 28 days to form an al-
with their traditional allies. said 56.3% of eligible voters divisive and scandal- furiously. He's taken a hard ternative coalition. If that
With the prospect of a uni- had cast ballots by 6 p.m. plagued, offering himself turn to the right in hopes of effort fails, new elections
ty government between (1600 GMT, 11 a.m. EST), the as a calming influence and rallying his nationalist base, would be forced.
them seemingly off the ta- highest turnout by that time an honest alternative. promising to expand and "This is usually a holiday, but
ble after a particularly nas- of the day since 1999. U.S. President Donald annex West Bank settle- to be honest, I have no fes-
ty campaign, the vote may Israel set up some 15 sta- Trump's Mideast initiative, ments. In a campaign tivity in me, just a sense of
marked by ugly smears, Ne- deep shame before you,
tanyahu's surrogates have the citizens of Israel," Rivlin
spread unfounded allega- said as he voted. "We don't
tions that Gantz is corrupt, deserve another horrible
unstable and susceptible and filthy campaign like
to blackmail by Iran. the one that ends today
Netanyahu is desperate to and we don't deserve this
assemble a narrow 61-seat endless instability. We de-
majority in parliament with serve a government that
his hard-line religious and will work for us."q