Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin 'Bibi' Netanyahu is in a dead heat with Zionist Union challenger Isaac Herzog, according to exit polls conducted by Israel's three major television stations. The virtual deadlock hasn't stopped Netanyahu from claiming himself the winner.
"This is a great victory for our nation. I'm proud of people of Israel who in the moment of truth knew what was important," Netanyahu said via his Twitter account, adding "against all odds" he earned "a great victory for the Likud."
Against all odds:a great victory for the Likud. A major victory for the people of Israel!
— בנימין נתניהו (@netanyahu) March 17, 2015
Herzog disputed the claim, saying "everything is open."
Channel 10 and 1 said each party secured 27 seats in the 120-member Knesset while Channel 2 gave Netanyahu a one-seat edge as polls closed at 10.p.m local time. Final numbers won't be released in the immediate future, but given Netanyahu's alienated voter base, Herzog likely faces one of two fates; either he becomes part of a joint government, or - as slim as his chances appear - Herzog manages to win the election.
The Prime Minister's last-second surge involved increased denunciations of "the left" and "Arabs," the latter getting Netanyahu in trouble with Arab citizens that make up about 20 percent of Israel's population.
"The right regime is in danger, the Arab voters are coming in huge amounts to the polls, Netanyahu said in a Facebook video post released Tuesday. "The leftists are bringing them (Arabs) in huge amounts to polls using buses...We have an urgent wake-up call."
Netanyahu has not shown strategy nor intent in working toward Mideast peace. Before the election he boldly declared that there would be no independent Palestinian state under his watch. Earlier this month, Bibi met with a conservative-heavy United States Congress to condemn President Obama's negotiations with Iran; he said a proposed agreement was "a bad idea" and would not be supported by Israelis.
If Herzog loses, he will become the closest labor leader to dethroning Netanyahu. Israeli voters gave the Zionist Union leader a boost by focusing on social and economic issues over security; a stark contrast to Netanyahu's message throughout his campaign. Similarly, Herzog planned to make peace with the Palestinians and would work with the U.S. to broker a deal with Iran.
"The public wants a change," Herzog said at an election-night party at his party's Tel Aviv headquarters. "We will do everything in our power - given the reality - to reach this. In any case, I can tell you that there will be no decision tonight." No one in Herzog's Labor Party has won as many seats in an election since 1992.
Opinion polls leading up to the election had Herzog with a three-to-four seat advantage over Netanyahu.
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