Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu delivered a victory speech to supporters of his Likud Party in the wee hours of Tuesday morning after his stunning, come-from-behind victory in Israel’s third successive elections.
Netanyahu came onstage singing his party song, and thanked his supporters for their hard work in securing the win.
“I remember our first victory in 1996. It was an historic victory,” Netanyahu said, in Hebrew. “But this victory, this time, is at least as sweet, if not sweeter. An even greater victory! Because it was a victory against all the odds.”
Netanyahu had trailed in polls until the final days, and still faces criminal indictment on corruption charges (which his supporters claim are baseless and politically motivated).
But voters rallied to his side for a variety of factors.
Missing University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey found dead in Barcelona
Indiana University philanthropy group allegedly led fundraising training with Hamas-linked ‘sham charity’
ALERT: James Comey Subpoenaed by DOJ as ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Probe Into Political Lawfare Gains Momentum
NYC Teen Arrested in Horrific Attack on Mother of Three: ‘He Deserves Exactly What Is Coming to Him’
Developing: It Appears Joe Biden Kept Tribute to Child Rapist in His Oval Office – How It Got There Makes It Worse
Shot Fired as Anti-Abortion Advocates Preach the Gospel Outside Planned Parenthood
Breaking: Design for Donald J. Trump US Coin That Will Be Legal Tender Has Been Approved – We Have the Picture
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Kicked Out of Restaurant for Political Reasons
Nuclear fusion advances, but challenges remain for power grid
Duffy mocks Newsom’s ‘bridges to nowhere’ as California wildlife crossing overruns by $21M
Dems face reckoning after putting deceased labor leader on pedestal as sexual abuse allegations emerge
Elizabeth Warren endorses Nazi-tattooed Graham Platner in high-stakes Maine Senate primary
DOJ subpoenas ex-FBI Director James Comey over role in 2017 Russia intel assessment
House oversight committee interviews former Epstein lawyer Darren Indyke
Epstein’s lawyer ‘not aware’ of any relationship Trump had with late convicted sex offender, Comer says
One may have been the indirect influence of American politics. Israeli voters watching Democrats choose Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) as their frontrunner may have been convinced to stick with their tough-minded leader. Netanyahu came to power in 2009 promising to oppose pressure from then-newly-elected President Barack Obama.
Netanyahu cited his record. “Do you know why [voters] put faith in us?” he asked. “Because they know that we brought the greatest decade in the history of the State of Israel.”
He talked about the country’s economic progress — which defied the recession that gripped much of the rest of the world — saying Israel had become “a country that is good to live in,” in terms of quality of life.
He also cited his good relationships with foreign leaders — not just with President Donald Trump, but also with Muslim nations.
One supporter waved a “Trump 2020: Keep America Great” prominently at the Likud victory party.
Missing University of Alabama student Jimmy Gracey found dead in Barcelona
Indiana University philanthropy group allegedly led fundraising training with Hamas-linked ‘sham charity’
ALERT: James Comey Subpoenaed by DOJ as ‘Grand Conspiracy’ Probe Into Political Lawfare Gains Momentum
NYC Teen Arrested in Horrific Attack on Mother of Three: ‘He Deserves Exactly What Is Coming to Him’
Developing: It Appears Joe Biden Kept Tribute to Child Rapist in His Oval Office – How It Got There Makes It Worse
Shot Fired as Anti-Abortion Advocates Preach the Gospel Outside Planned Parenthood
Breaking: Design for Donald J. Trump US Coin That Will Be Legal Tender Has Been Approved – We Have the Picture
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders Kicked Out of Restaurant for Political Reasons
Nuclear fusion advances, but challenges remain for power grid
Duffy mocks Newsom’s ‘bridges to nowhere’ as California wildlife crossing overruns by $21M
Dems face reckoning after putting deceased labor leader on pedestal as sexual abuse allegations emerge
Elizabeth Warren endorses Nazi-tattooed Graham Platner in high-stakes Maine Senate primary
DOJ subpoenas ex-FBI Director James Comey over role in 2017 Russia intel assessment
House oversight committee interviews former Epstein lawyer Darren Indyke
Epstein’s lawyer ‘not aware’ of any relationship Trump had with late convicted sex offender, Comer says
Exit polls projected that Likud had won roughly 36 or 37 seats in Israel’s 120-seat Knesset, nearly enough to form a governing majority with small conservative parties. The opposition Blue and White was projected to win 33 or 33.
Though it was not clear whether Netanyahu would have enough seats to reach a coalition of 61, it was presumed that he would be able to do so — and without the help of a smaller spoiler party that had stymied him twice before.
The vote-counting process is expected to take more than 48 hours, with final results only determined by Thursday morning.
“The time has come to end the cycle of elections and to establish a government in Israel!” Netanyahu concluded.
Story cited here.
