Binyamin Netanyahu sent scouts to the left-of-center camp for defectors as soon as the exit polls showed his Likud in the lead in Israel’s third election in a year. As vote-counting proceeded Tuesday, Likud sustained its lead, but was still short of two or three mandates for a majority. In his victory speech, the prime minister promised more peace agreements with Arab nations, “sovereignty over our homeland in the Jordan valley,” and a bid for a “broad national government” to heal the rifts in the nation. Likud lawmaker Elkin promised that a fourth round of voting would not occur.
Benny Gantz, whose Kahol Lavon continued to trail behind Likud, told supporters that he understands their disappointment but was not ready to concede and would not give up on “our principles and our path.”
The election committee expects to publish the final results by late afternoon on Tuesday. Counting the ballots of soldiers and quarantined voters will take longer.
Content retrieved from: https://www.debka.com/mivzak/likud-scouts-for-center-left-defectors-to-round-off-majority-government/.