Israel

19 September 2019; AFP: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on his main challenger Benny Gantz Thursday to form a unity government together, a major development after deadlocked election results put his long tenure in office at risk.

Netanyahu, in a video message, said he preferred to form a right-wing coalition, but the results showed it was not possible.

JERUSALEM, Sept 19 (NNN-MA’AN) – Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, cancelled a trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, a gathering he usually attends to advance Israeli interests.

His office said, he will not attend the event next week, during which he was supposed to meet U.S. President Donald Trump, to discuss a “mutual defence treaty.”

The office did not say whether the meeting will be held on a different date.

JERUSALEM (AP) — After a decade of mesmerizing world leaders, subduing his rivals and eking out dramatic election victories, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s political future is suddenly in doubt.

With near-final results from Israel’s election on Tuesday, he has been left well short of the parliamentary majority he had sought — not only to continue in power but also to fend off a looming corruption indictment.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) - Whoever emerges as Israel’s prime minister after Tuesday’s election will need to rein in a growing budget deficit quickly before it hits economic growth.

The deficit has swelled over the past year under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, who cut taxes while spending heavily on cost-of-living subsidies and pay rises.

JERUSALEM, Sept. 17 (Xinhua) -- Israel's closely-fought elections ended on Tuesday night, with exit polls showing a virtual tie between the Likud party, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the Blue and White party, led by former army chief Benny Gantz.

Exit poll results released by Israel's three main TV channels showed the Blue and White party in a slim majority over Likud, winning about 33 seats against Likud's 32 seats.

JERUSALEM, Sept 18 (NNN-WAFA) – Facebook on Tuesday, briefly suspended a chatbot on Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu’s official account, over violation of Israeli election law.

The move came after Netanyahu posted results of alleged opinion polls, which is prohibited by Israeli law that bans publishing polls a few days before the voting.

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Latest on the Israeli election (all times local):

3:45 a.m.

After an apparent election setback, Israel’s prime minister says he will seek the formation of a new “Zionist” government that excludes Arab parties.

Benjamin Netanyahu addressed a small crowd of supporters in Tel Aviv at 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, more than five hours after voting ended.

Initial exit polls placed challenger Benny Gantz’s Blue and White party just ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud, hurting Netanyahu’s chances of remaining as prime minister.

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fell short of securing a parliamentary majority with his religious and nationalist allies in national elections Tuesday, initial exit polls showed, setting the stage for a period of coalition negotiations that could threaten his political future and clear the way for him to be tried on corruption charges.

17 Sep 2019; MEMO: Ahmed Tibi, Arab member of the Knesset, said yesterday that Arab voters have the power to oust incumbent Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the Anadolu Agency reported.

Speaking to the new site, Tibi said: “The biggest upcoming challenge is to raise the rate of voting and participation in the elections.”

17 Sep 2019; MEMO: The Israeli military will impose a total closure on the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip during Tuesday’s parliamentary election, Anadolu Agency reports.

“According to the security situation evaluation and directives of the political level, total closure will be imposed in the areas of the West Bank and the terminals of the Gaza Strip,” the army said in a statement.

The closure will be applied Monday midnight for 24 hours.