Netanyahu victorious, vows US recognition of Israeli settlement annexation

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu promised in his victory speech after winning Thursday’s Likud primary that if re-elected prime minister, he will bring about American recognition of Israeli sovereignty over every Jewish community in Judea and Samaria.

Speaking after defeating Likud MK Gideon Sa’ar, Netanyahu did not mention Sa’ar. He instead declared victory over bad weather, the press and “those who distrubute fake polls and fake news.”  He said he received a massive  new mandate from the Likud

“Most of the nation supports the Right and most of the nation supports me to be prime minister,” Netanyahu told the crowd at the Airport City convention center.  “The sweeping victory in the primaries was a huge vote of confidence in me and our path. We proved we can win big”

Netanyahu vowed in the speech that if he wins the March 2 election, he would make sure to obtain more diplomatic accomplishments.

“In the years ahead we will deliver more achievements that could have only been dreamed of,” he said. “We will set our final borders, bring about American recognition for Israeli control over Jordan Valley, the Dead Sea and our sovereignty over every settlement in Judea and Samaria, obtain a defense pact with US that will ensure Israeli freedom to act, we will defeat Iran and achieve a peace pact with Arab countries.”

Netanyahu received 41,792, which was 72.5% of the vote and Sa’ar 15,885 votes, which was 27.5%. Out of the 106 polling stations across the country, Netanyahu won 99 and Sa’ar only seven.

“A huge win!” Netanyahu wrote on Twitter after initial election results started coming in. “Thank you to all members of the Likud for the trust, support and the love. I will lead the Likud to a big win in the upcoming elections and we will continue to lead the State of Israel to incredible achievements.”

Sa’ar called Netanyahu to concede the race and promised him that he and the five Likud MKs who supported him would stand behind the prime minister ahead of the March 2 Knesset race. But after two weeks of Netanyahu’s associates attacking Sa’ar for challenging Netanyahu, Sa’ar said he would not apologize for his campaign.

“This contest was immensely important to the Likud and its democratic character,” he said. I am content with my decision to have run – it was the right decision. Those who are unwilling to take a risk for what they believe in – will never succeed.”

Likud faction chairman Miki Zohar said the results proved that the nation backs Netanyahu despite the media. He called upon Netanyahu to seek immunity from prosecution in his criminal cases so he could remain prime minister.

Blue and White leader Benny Gantz responded to the Likud race by saying “the defendant Netanyahu, who is leading the State of Israel down a path of corruption, will continue to lead Likud. Jabotinsky and Begin’s movement, which spoke of the supremacy of law, has elected a leader facing three indictments, who is seeking to unravel the rule of law and secure personal immunity, rather than address the actual concerns of the Israeli people.

Labor-Gesher said the results proved the Likud is disconnected from the nation. The head of Blue and White’s response team, MK Asaf Zamir, wrote on Twitter: “The Likud is now officially the Bibi party, and anyone who is not a complete Bibist – and there still Likudniks like that – does not belong there.”

Stormy weather across the country, a perception that Netanyahu would win easily and a Likud court decision requiring thousands of Likud members to travel far to vote resulted in a turnout in Thursday’s Likud primary of some 49 percent.

Netanyahu and Sa’ar travelled to polling stations across the country in an effort to persuade people to vote. While Sa’ar and his campaign team made a point of expressing what they called cautious optimism, Netanyahu issued statements all expressing concern that the low turnout would harm his chances to emerge victorious in the race.

“People are telling me they want me to win but they aren’t voting because they are sure I will win anyway,” Netanyahu said in a statement he delivered on social media on Thursday night.

Speaking to Likud activists at the Jerusalem International Convention Center’s polling station shortly after he and his wife Sara voted at home, Netanyahu said: “Don’t let the win and rain defeat us. Our wind is stronger.”

But KAN News reported that Netanyahu’s concern was insincere and that his own campaign’s data found that turnout among their supporters was ten percent higher than the Likud membership as a whole.

Sa’ar voted at the Council for a Beautiful Israel building in Tel Aviv alongside his wife, veteran anchorwoman Geula Even-Sa’ar on Thursday morning, and expressed hope in an upset victory.

“This is a fateful day for the Likud and the State,” he said. “We have it in our power to bring about change and new hope for the citizens of Israel and guarantee the continued reign of the nationalist camp and a victory for our path. I asked for you trust and your votes in order to bring about the vision that the people of Israel expect. Likud voters should cast ballots and guarantee victory for the party in the March 2 election.”

Shortly after voting was supposed to get underway on Thursday morning, Sa’ar complained that voting had started early illegally in key polling states and that observers from his headquarters had been prevented from entering the polling stations, including one particular incident of vote tampering in Hadera. Sa’ar’s campaign sent a letter to the party’s election committee complaining about the issues.

The 116,048 members of Likud were eligible to vote in their assigned polling station among 106 across the country from 9am to 11pm.

Tamar Be’eri and Aaron Reich contributed to this report.