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.
Police make arrest after gunfire during California high school football game leaves 1 dead
Connecticut police officers shot, suspect killed after attempted arrest sparks hectic chase
‘Will Come Back to Bite You’: Top Official Asked Fauci for Vaccine Side Effect Study – Email
Breaking: Judge Slaps Down Karmelo Anthony’s Bid for New Trial
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, trailblazing GOP senator who broke barriers for women in Congress, dead at 94
Judge denies Karmelo Anthony new-trial bid after ex-lawyers detail dispute that kept him from testifying
Federal judge blasts Rubio’s 75-country visa freeze as ‘Orwellian,’ strikes down policy
Nashville hospital medication error leaves at least 1 patient paralyzed after routine surgery, 3 others hurt
Kalshi and prediction markets experience explosive growth, but also new legal challenges
FBI asked ‘Sammy the Bull’ if ex-Gambino mob prosecutor Comey knew meaning of ’86’: court filing
The Will of 100: Trump’s SAVE America Act sidelined after Senate unanimously agreed to August exit
New Reagan Movie Hits Theaters, Earns Big Thumbs Up from Audiences
Watch: Emotional Kurt Busch Reveals His Final Words with His Brother Kyle
USPS publishes rule to block mail-in ballots from states that don’t provide voter lists
Karmelo Anthony’s Legal Team Smears Austin Metcalf in Desperate Attempt to Overturn Conviction
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.
Police make arrest after gunfire during California high school football game leaves 1 dead
Connecticut police officers shot, suspect killed after attempted arrest sparks hectic chase
‘Will Come Back to Bite You’: Top Official Asked Fauci for Vaccine Side Effect Study – Email
Breaking: Judge Slaps Down Karmelo Anthony’s Bid for New Trial
Nancy Kassebaum Baker, trailblazing GOP senator who broke barriers for women in Congress, dead at 94
Judge denies Karmelo Anthony new-trial bid after ex-lawyers detail dispute that kept him from testifying
Federal judge blasts Rubio’s 75-country visa freeze as ‘Orwellian,’ strikes down policy
Nashville hospital medication error leaves at least 1 patient paralyzed after routine surgery, 3 others hurt
Kalshi and prediction markets experience explosive growth, but also new legal challenges
FBI asked ‘Sammy the Bull’ if ex-Gambino mob prosecutor Comey knew meaning of ’86’: court filing
The Will of 100: Trump’s SAVE America Act sidelined after Senate unanimously agreed to August exit
New Reagan Movie Hits Theaters, Earns Big Thumbs Up from Audiences
Watch: Emotional Kurt Busch Reveals His Final Words with His Brother Kyle
USPS publishes rule to block mail-in ballots from states that don’t provide voter lists
Karmelo Anthony’s Legal Team Smears Austin Metcalf in Desperate Attempt to Overturn Conviction
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.
