Benjamin Netanyahu-led coalition to form new government after securing impressive win in Israel's election
The outcome of the election, the fifth in less than four years, also ends an unprecedented period of political deadlock that began in 2019.
Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and its far-right and religious allies have secured an emphatic victory in Israel's general elections, bringing the country's longest-serving premier back at the helm and ending the prolonged political impasse plaguing the Jewish nation.Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid called Mr. Netanyahu on Thursday evening to congratulate him on winning the elections, just under 48 hours after polls closed. Mr. Lapid said that he has instructed all departments of the Prime Minister's Office to prepare for an orderly transfer of power.
Israel's Central Election Committee on Thursday announced the final allocation of seats for the 25th Knesset, giving 73-year-old Netanyahu and his likely political allies 64 seats in the 120-member parliament, enough for a governing majority.
President Isaac Herzog will now begin consultations with politicians on forming a new government after results are officially certified on November 9.
The outcome of the election, the fifth in less than four years, also ends an unprecedented period of political deadlock that began in 2019, when Mr. Netanyahu was charged with bribery, fraud and breach of trust, which he denies.
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Mr. Netanyahu's ruling Likud party won 32 seats in the Knesset while outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid got 24 seats.
The biggest surprise of the polls after the final count was over is the far-right Religious Zionism party which won 14 seats becoming the third largest party.
Mr. Netanyahu's other likely coalition partners, Shas and United Torah Judaism won 11 and seven seats, respectively bringing the bloc's total count to 64.
Defence Minister Benny Gantz's National Unity won 12 seats, and Finance Minister Avigdor Lieberman got six seats, one more following the counting of the double-envelope votes. The so-called double-envelope ballots are cast by members of the security forces, prisoners, people with disabilities, diplomats serving abroad.
Arab-majority parties Hadash-Ta'al and United Arab List each got five seats but the breakaway Balad party failed to cross the threshold of 3.25 per cent required for a Knesset entry.
Labour, once a ruling party in Israel, got just over the 3.25% electoral threshold winning four seats.
eft-wing party, Meretz, was just a few thousand votes short of making it into the next Knesset, ending a three-decade-long era of political representation for it since its formulation in 1992.
After exit polls projected that he would secure a majority, Mr. Netanyahu told Likud party supporters that he would set up a government that would "look after all the citizens of Israel, without exception, because the state is all of