LIVE BLOG: i24NEWS poll shows Gantz with 33 seats, Netanyahu with 27 as voting ends

[brooklynite]

Source: I24 News

As voting officially comes to an end in Israel's high-stakes national election, an i24NEWS poll shows the centrist Blue & White alliance led by former army chief Benny Gantz with 33 seats over Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party with 27 seats.

Polling stations closed across the country at 10:00 p.m. local time, with final results expected around noon on Wednesday.

While Gantz appears in position to unseat Netanyahu after more than a decade in power, it remains unclear whether he will be able to pull together enough support to assemble a viable coalition -- which requires a 61-seat majority in the 120-seat Knesset (parliament) in order to govern.

According to the i24NEWS poll, the right-wing bloc collectively holds more seats than the center-left. But, the support of Arab parties -- overcame projections of historically low voter turnout -- could give Gantz a razor-thin one seat majority.

Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2019/apr/09/israel-election-2019-exit-polls-winner-netanyahu-benny-gantz-latest-live-news-vote-results-today?page=with:block-5cacec448f0852bbb93b4f14#block-5cacec448f0852bbb93b4f14

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However, it appears that the RW coalition of Parties is far more likely to be able to form a Government.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

1. Netanyahu is a crook. He and his wife are corrupt & think they are above the law. . . . nt

[LiberalArkie]

2. That seems to be the universal makings for a national leader.

[Bernardo de La Paz]

4. The woman who won the vote of the US 2016 election does not fit that mold. . . . nt

[pandr32]

5. +1,000,000

[3Hotdogs]

11. Nah, he's our prime minister. Didn't you know?

[rockfordfile]

24. He should be jail

[leftynyc]

3. Even a one seat majority

gives the moderates the government. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - LET IT HAPPEN.

[DavidDvorkin]

6. Other exit polls have the two side tied

We probably won't know the actual outcome for quite a while.

[Legends303]

7. I'm reading other sources

That Bibi can still build a right wing government.

[edhopper]

8. So the loser of the popular vote

gets the office. Where have i seen that before?

[brooklynite]

9. In any multi-Party democratic nation?

It doesn't matter if Gantz's Party got more votes than Netanyahu's, because neither of them got a majority. The question is: which Party can assemble a governing majority among the other Parties?

FWIW - If Gantz ends up with the MOST seats in his own Party, he should have the right to try and assemble a Government.

[edhopper]

13. I kind of knew that

but thanks for making it clear.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. Neti just lost his get out of jail card.

What a world we live in, where men run for higher office to avoid jail time.

Politicians should never be above the law!

[Scalded Nun]

12. He and Trump definitely have one thing in common

They are both more than willing to lead their countries down a road to destruction.

[still_one]

14. It is too close to call, but one thing is that the polls several days ago tightened up

[mountain grammy]

15. Oh please, please, please.

[watoos]

16. So sad,

All of those Jews who didn't vote for Bibi are anti-Jewish?

I got in trouble for commenting about some Jews after 9/11 so I am turning a new leaf and am watching for any bias.

[rainin]

17. When trump said confidently "it'll be close", I knew it was rigged.

Close races are smokescreens to hide corruption. How did he know days ago that it would be "close". He doesn't read. He doesn't take intelligence briefings. He brags when his man wins the "biggest" victories!! Someone in his circle of corruption told him it would be "close" so stealing it isn't obvious.

[brooklynite]

19. Please enlighten us...

I'm sure you're an expert on Israeli elections to make such a bold claim.

[rainin]

20. I'm not an expert on any country's elections. I am suspicious of trump.

I'm wary about the security of elections. I'm distrustful of Netanyahu. My interest in Israel might come from having lived there for a few years, educated at Tel Aviv University, but I don't consider myself an expert. I have very strong suspicions.

[brooklynite]

21. Trump also claimed the GOP would win in 2018...

As for "rigging" the election, the Israelis use paper ballots, which everyone here claims is the ultimate way to protect votes.

[rainin]

22. Good to know. In this case, humility saved me.

[enid602]

28. polling places

Bibi also placed closed circuit TV's in polling places in Arab neighborhoods.

[LanternWaste]

29. Maybe he had lunch with someone...

[Wolf Frankula]

18. Don't forget the coalition whore parties.

Those parties who if they are promised what they want, will support anything. Nuttyahoo usually gets about 25 per cent of the vote, but finds enough whores to give him a majority.

Wolf

[muriel_volestrangler]

25. Israeli election: Netanyahu appears on track for victory despite tied result

Benjamin Netanyahu was on track on Wednesday morning to become Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, despite his Likud party winning the same number of seats as his rivals.

With 97% of votes counted, both Likud and the Blue and White party, led by former army general Benny Gantz, had won 35 seats in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset.

However, results showed Netanyahu would be in a much better position to form a majority governing coalition made up of nationalist, far-right and religious allies. Gantz had fewer potential factions to partner with.
...
Final results might not be in until Wednesday afternoon, or later, and the coalition building process could take weeks.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/10/israel-election-netanyahu-appears-on-track-for-victory-despite-tied-result

[Mike Nelson]

26. Anything close...

… goes to Netanyahu, sadly. Even if he loses seats or the actual vote, he can win. The only hope are the other parties - how much are they willing to take and give. Very sad for Israel... the country can't go on like this...

[watoos]

27. Bibi is going to have to get electronic machines,

no need to stay up late waiting for results.