NETANYAHU PREDICTED TO WIN ISRAEL ELECTION, BUT BALAD'S RISE COULD STEAL RIGHT'S VICTORY

NETANYAHU PREDICTED TO WIN ISRAEL ELECTION, BUT BALAD'S RISE COULD STEAL RIGHT'S VICTORY

According to the polls, Netanyahu's bloc, which includes Likud, Religious Zionist Party (RZP), United Torah Judaism (UTJ) and Shas, crossed the 61-seat threshold and will be able to form the next coalition. In some of the polls his bloc reached 62 seats.

The Arab party Balad was said to be close to crossing the threshold. If that happens, Netanyahu's bloc will drop to 60 seats, one short of a coalition majority. 

Defense Minister Benny Gantz's National Unity Party is expected to get 11 seats (Channel 12) or 12 seats (Channel 13), while Yisrael Beytenu gets 4 in both polls.

Israel's ultra-Orthodox parties saw a large voter turnout with Shas getting 10 seats in both polls and United Torah Judaism (UTJ) getting 7 seats.

Meanwhile, Israel's Left managed to keep its head above the water with either 6 seats (Channel 12) or 5 seats (Channel 13) going to Labor and either 5 seats (Channel 12) or 4 seats (Channel 13) going to Meretz.

Source: JP

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