#ISRAEL: Election Returns Netanyahu To Power

[world politics news]

With 92.6% of the votes counted in Israel's election, the Netanyahu-supporting bloc maintains its lead with 65 seats, while the anti-Netanyahu bloc remains at 50 seats. Meretz's chances of clearing the 3.25 percent electoral threshold are slimming as it falls to just 3.15 percent of the votes.

Likud currently has 32 seats, Yesh Atid has 24, Religious Zionism has 14, the National Unity camp has 12, Shas has 11 and United Torah Judaism has eight seats. Yisrael Beiteinu, United Arab List, and Hadash-Ta'al win five seats apiece. Labor is just over the electoral threshold  to continue having seats in Parliament with four seats, while Meretz and Balad are still below the threshold, as is Habayit Hayehudi.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Michaeli Wins Labor Party Primary In Landslide

[world politics news] 

Knesset Member Merav Michaeli has won the Labor Party primaries and will lead Israel’s historic faction ahead of March’s general election.

Michaeli won in a landslide, with 7,483 of the votes out of 9,651 in total, media reported. She beat six other competitors.

The total vote turnout stood at 26%, a fairly low figure as most polls in the recent year have shown the party crash below the threshold.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Former Ally Vows To Scuttle Plans For Gantz To Rotate With Netanyahu As PM

[world politics news]

In a bombshell move that threatens to block his former ally becoming Israel’s prime minister, Yesh Atid-Telem leader Yair Lapid on Monday promised his party would vote with Benjamin Netanyahu if the prime minister seeks to cancel his rotation agreement with Benny Gantz, which is supposed to take effect 18 months into the lifespan of the planned Netanyahu-Gantz coalition. Lapid would thus help ensure the necessary majority to cancel the law anchoring the Netanyahu-Gantz power-sharing deal, and bring down the government.

Lapid’s vow drew a furious response from Gantz’s Blue and White party, and an allegation from Yisrael Beytenu’s Avigdor Liberman that, in so doing, Lapid would be saving Netanyahu’s political skin. Lapid responded that it was Gantz who is saving Netanyahu by partnering with him in the new coalition,

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Opposition Ldr Benny Gantz Considers Options To Rule With Netanyahu

[world politics news]

Blue and White Party Leader Benny Gantz is considering joining what would be termed as an "emergency government" under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for six months, sources in the party said Tuesday, after Gantz held individual meetings with Blue and White MKs at the Knesset.

Joining such a government could enable Gantz to keep Blue and White together despite the fierce opposition to joining a Netanyahu-led government from members of his own multi-party leadership team.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Opposition Leader Gantz To Try To Form Gov't

[world politics news]

The leader of Israel's Blue and White party Benny Gantz has won recommendations from 61 members of the Knesset, Israel's parliament, paving the way for him to receive the mandate from Pres. Reuven Rivlin to form a new government after Israel’s third elections.

Rivlin by law had to grant Gantz the mandate. This will allow Gantz to take control of the Knesset, appoint the speaker from his party, control the main committees.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Voters Go To The Polls For A Third Time In A Year

[world politics news]

Both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of the Likud Party and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz predicted victory at political events on Sunday, a day before a national election - the third to be held within a year due to the inability of any party to form a government.

Most of the 10,631 polling stations will be open from 7 am to 10 pm, enabling the  6,453,255 eligible voters to cast ballots. There will also be 14 special polling stations for the 5,630 Israelis quarantined due to exposure to the coronavirus.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Prime Minister Netanyahu Wins Landslide Victory In Primary Challenge

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday scored a landslide victory in a primary race for leadership of the ruling Likud party, giving the embattled leader an important boost ahead of the country’s third election in less than a year.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: After Days-Long Count, Election Results "Almost" In; Show Opposition Beat Netanyahu

[world politics news]

Israel's Central Election Committee says it has "almost" completed final results from last weekend's election. Results so far confirmed that opposition leader Benny Gantz’s Blue and White Party had won 33 seats in the Knesset while Prime Minister  Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud had won 31 seats.

The committee explained that the results cannot be considered official, since official results will only be presented to President Reuven Rivlin and published on September 25.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Election Re-Run Ends With Deadlock Again; Opposition Makes Historic Gains

[world politics news]

The election that was supposed to break a national political deadlock has ended in another deadlock, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party coming up short in parliamentary seats to form a majority government, and Benny Gantz's Blue and White Party tying him in seats.

Now, both must seek a coalition with smaller parties to try to form a government. Netanyahu promised  he would build the next government in a speech to his supporters at Expo Tel Aviv, after 3 a.m. early Wednesday morning. Benny Gantz vowed to do the same.

Amid chants of "no to a unity government," (with Gantz's party) the prime minister said all of the Likud’s current coalition partners want to build a coalition.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Wins Fifth Term As PM With Allied Parties' Support

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu clinched a clear victory early Wednesday morning in Israel’s general elections. In Tuesday’s contest, his Likud party was tied with Blue and White, both winning 35 seats in the Knesset. But his right-wing/ultra-Orthodox bloc held a decisive lead and Netanyahu was thus safely en route to forming a majority governing coalition with their support.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Pledges West Bank Settlement Annexation; Opponent Calls It "Election Stunt"

[world politics news]

A day before Tuesday's election, embattled prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has promised to Annex the West Bank settlements occupied by Jewish settlers, but his main opponent, Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz, called the move an "election stunt" rather than a serious proposal.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Israeli Resilience Party Leader Attacks PM Netanyahu As "American-Trained Fake"

[world politics news]

Israel Resilience Party Leader Benny Gantz has launched a scathing personal attack on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, depicting him as an American-trained fake who spent years enjoying the high-life in the United States while he, Gantz, was risking his life in the trenches with Israel’s soldiers.

In this campaign, Gantz is stressing his long military career, which culminated in his tenure as Israeli Defense Forces chief of staff. Netanyahu has spent a great deal of his life in the USA, but as also a soldier and officer in the IDF's most elite unit. Netanyahu immediately condemned Gantz’s comments as "shameful."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: New Political Party Introduces Revolutionary "Direct Democracy" App

[world politics news]

The new Israeli political party Yashar has developed a first-of-its-kind mobile app to facilitate communication between party members and their Knesset representatives. Bills submitted to the Knesset will be loaded onto the app so that party members can decide whether to vote yea or nay. Yashar (which means "straight" in Hebrew) was founded by Eran Etzion, a former deputy national security adviser. It was registered in December as a party. A twitter post says the party offers "a real alternative, a democratic and cooperative mechanism that enables you to participate in decisions on a daily basis, in a way that prevents corruption."

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: New Centrist Arab Party Registers To Contest April Elections

[world politics news]

The Israeli political landscape continues to transform daily. A new Arab party has registered with the Justice Ministry to participate in the upcoming Knesset elections on April 9.

“New Horizon — An Arab Centrist Party” registered in mid-December to run in the vote, which has since been set for April 9.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

ISRAEL: Left-Leaning Parties Dissolve Their Alliance Ahead Of April Elections

[world politics news]

Israel's center-left opposition dramatically has split ahead of an April 9 election, with leader Avi Gabbay announcing he would no longer partner with veteran politician Tzipi Livni as she sat expressionless next to him.

The announcement means the end of their Zionist Union alliance, which finished with the second most seats in the last general election in 2015 but which has since tumbled far in opinion polls. The split is just one of several realignments and new parties expected before the April election.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Former IDF Chief Launches New Political Party To Challenge Netanyahu In Snap Election

[world politics news]

Former Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Benjamin "Benny" Gantz launched his own political party ahead of the April, 2019 snap election Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called. Polls predict Gantz will garner up to 16 seats in the Knesset, positioning him as a threat to Netanyahu, who has publicly dismissed Gantz's party, which was apparently ready to launch the day the prime minister announced the rare snap election. The party is called "Hosen L'Yisrael" (Israel's Resilience). No other details have been released.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Facing Indictment, PM Netanyahu Calls For Early Elections

[world politics news]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government decided Monday to hold snap elections on April 9, seven months early, as his Likud Party and its affilated parties struggles to pass legislation with only a one-seat majority in parliament.

Israel's parliament, or Knesset, must still formally vote to dissolve itself and set the election date. A first vote was scheduled for today.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu Hopes To Avoid Early Elections, Despite Resignation Of Defense Minister Leaving One-Seat Majority In Parliament

[world politics news]

Nearly all of the Likud Party's coalition partners have called to go to an early election as soon as possible, following the resignation of Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman this past week. The resignation left Netanyahu's party with a one-seat majority in the Knesset, but he has publicly stated that he still hopes to hold elections in November, 2019, as planned.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: Netanyahu-Endorsed Candidate Comes In Third In Jerusalem Mayoral Race; First Female Mayor Elected In Haifa

[world politics news]

Jerusalem city councilmen Moshe Lion and Ofer Berkovitch will go head-to-head in a run-off race on November 14 after finishing first and second in the Jerusalem mayoral election for Jerusalem mayor. Neither candidate received the 40% of the vote needed to avoid a run-off. They both bested Ze'ev Elkin, the candidate endorsed by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who also serves in his cabinet as Minister for Jerusalem Affairs.

Moshe Lion won 33.3% of the vote, Ofer Berkovitch took 28.8%, Ze'ev Elkin garnered 19.8%, deputy mayor Yossi Daitch earned 17.2% and Avi Salman, 0.8%. In other elections, Haifa elected its first female mayor, city councilwoman Dr. Einat Kalisch Rotem, defeating long-term incumbent Yonah Yahav, and Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai easily won a sixth term in office.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.

#ISRAEL: New Poll Likely To Confirm PM Netanyahu's Fears Of Ouster Before Next Election

[world politics news]

A new poll shows that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would win more seats for the ruling Likud Party if elections were held today, but that a popular rival to Netanyahu would do almost as well.

Gideon Sa’ar, a former government minister, whom Netanyahu often acute is of trying to oust him as prime minister, pulled almost as high as Netanyahu and a recent Israeli television station survey.

Elections are not scheduled to occur in Israel until next November, and it is believed Netanyahu is going to hold to that schedule rather than calling an early election due to the internal threat posed by Sa'ar, which Israel's (ceremonial) president recently called "paranoia."

Photo: Gideon Sa'ar, left, sitting next to Prime Min. Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset in 2013.

[FULL STORY HERE]

World Politics News is dedicated to raising Americans' knowledge of political events, elections, and legislation throughout the world.