The Prime Minister of Israel and his Likud party will continue into the fourth term.
On Wednesday, it became clear that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would continue into his fourth term as the premier of Israel. Netanyahu and the Likud party won 30 seats in the Israeli parliament, beating the opposition Labor Party lead by Isaac Herzog.
“Against all odds, we achieved a great victory,” said Netanyahu to his party supporters late Tuesday night. Prime Minister Netanyahu’s fourth term would be the most terms that any Israeli premier has been in office.
Prior to elections, surveys showed that the majority of the Israeli people favored Isaac Herzog, a central leftist, over the incumbent Netanyahu. It was believed that the people of Israel were beginning to focus more on social and economic issues rather than security issues like in the past. Herzog’s platform promoted peace between Palestinians and the Israeli people, which allegedly appealed to most voters. However, the result at the elections showed that security is still a large concern for the majority of the Israeli public. Some believe the growing terrorist threat of ISIL has prompted a concern for safety.
“We achieved the huge victory for our people. And I am proud, I am proud for the people of Israel that in the moment of truth, knew to make the right decision and to choose the real material things over immaterial things,” said Netanyahu.
Netanyahu now must make agreements with other political parties in Israel in order to secure a majority of the 120 seats in parliament and form a coalition government. The Prime Minister is considered conservative and will most likely look for parties who are religious and right wing.
The United States is also affected by the elections in Israel; some fear that relations between the U.S. and Israel will be strained with Netanyahu’s fourth term. Current attempts at negotiations with Iran and Palestine will be made more difficult with Netanyahu in power. The Prime Minister fears that any negotiations to allow nuclear power in Iran will pose a direct threat to Israel’s existence. In addition, the Prime Minister does not want to acknowledge Palestine as a state because of the alleged danger it poses to the nation of Israel.
