Many news outlets proclaimed that it was a race that was too close to call. The evening was filled with commentators speculating that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would be struggling to put together a coalition government.
Weeks of uncertainty. A possible path for Netanyahu’s main rival Isaac Herzog to become PM.
In the end, it wasn’t even that close.
With 99 percent of the vote counted, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s Likud party scored a decisive victory over his leftist counterpart’s party giving Netanyahu his fourth term as PM. Likud is in line for 29 or 30 seats in the Knesset with Herzog’s ZIonist Union at 24 seats. This means that Netanyahu will be able to quickly put together a ruling coalition and get a new government in place.
The result was stunning for many observers who had been showing polls of Netanyahu behind by as many as 4 to 5 seats at the lowest point. Pundits said that even if Netanyahu somehow pulled out a victory he would be weakened politically both internationally and within Israel.
No one saw this strong a win coming for Likud. By comparison, the last election had Likud teaming up with another party to gain 36 seats. Likud gets 30 alone in this election.
“I am proud of the Israeli people that, in the moment of truth, knew how to separate between what’s important or what’s not and to stand up for what’s important,” Netanyahu told enthusiastic supporters at Likud’s election party at the Tel Aviv Fairgrounds. “For the most important thing for all of us, which is real security, social economy and strong leadership.”
Likud minister Silvan Shalom said that it would be likely a coalition of “63 to 64 seats” would be formed in the coming days behind Prime Minister Netanyahu.
“Israel said today a very clear ‘yes’ to Prime Minister Netanyahu and to the Likud to continue leading the State of Israel,” Shalom told reporters. “We’ll do it with our allies. We’ll have a strong coalition that is able to deal with all the important issues.”
Analysts say that Netanyahu’s push to the right in the last days of the campaign, including his change in position refusing to back a two-state solution, helped fuel the unexpected victory as it drew voters from other conservative parties.
Living up to his reputation as being a humble man, Pope Francis I began his reign as leader of the Roman Catholic Church by refusing many of the luxuries given to previous Popes.
Loud cheers, waving of flags and a burst of manic energy waving through the crowd in St. Peter’s Square met the sight of white smoke from the Sistine Chapel chimney and an announcement to the crowd of “Habemus Papam.”
Black smoke poured from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel Wednesday indicating that the second and third votes for a Pope have ended with no choice.
