Benjamin Netanyahu is fighting for his political life, after opposition parties picked up seats in Israel’s election.
The 77-year-old has served as Israel’s Prime Minister on and off since 1996, but could this result prove his final undoing?
With counting underway, the ‘change bloc’ lead by General Gadi Eisenkot looks like it could form a Government with the support of Arab parties.
One in five Israeli citizens are Arabs and while few supported Netanyahu in the past, the community’s dislike of him has grown into visceral hatred since the War in Gaza began.
On Newstalk Breakfast, Tel Aviv based journalist Paul Kearns said Arab parties are now in the position of kingmakers.
“The Palestinian turnout has been very, very high, [with] Palestinian Arab parties predicted to get 16 seats,” he said.
“So, it's probably a little unfair to say stalemate; the real important question I think facing the Israeli opposition today, this morning, is do they fear Palestinians more being part of the Government or do they hate Bibi more?”
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Counting is not expected to be fully completed for another few days and, in the meantime, both sides are trying to spin the result.
While Netanyahu’s Likud party will likely end up as the largest in the Knesset, his options for remaining in power are limited.
The pro-Netanyahu bloc is forecast to have 54 seats, while the Eisenkot bloc is predicted to win 47. However, Arab parties are expected to hold 19 seats.
"The right-wing bloc has a clear, decisive majority among the Zionist public, among the Jewish public and all those who support the Jewish State,” Netanyahu told his cheering supporters.
Meanwhile, General Eisenkot announced that the “public has chosen change” and that the “coalition of failure has lost the people's trust”.
"I will work with my partners to ensure that the people's decision is translated into a Zionist Government,” he vowed.
The end of Bibi?
Could there be another election? Between 2019 and 2022, there were five elections in Israel and Netanyahu has resigned as Prime Minister before, only to return to power.
“Already, I see on Israeli TV this morning a lot of attention to the leader of the Palestinian parties, who did extremely well,” he said.
“The largest got 12 seats and so all the focus will be now, can elements of the opposition literally decide that they don't want Bibi? Instead, they open negotiations with the Palestinian parties.
“It has happened before; the previous Government before this one, had the Islamic Party as a formal coalition partner.
“So, it can happen.”
Main image: A split of Netanyahu and Arab voters. Pictures by: Alamy and Amir Cohen/AP/Press Association Images
