Clear political loss
The Hebrew newspaper "Haaretz" considered on Saturday that the "Otzma Yehudit" party, led by Itamar Ben Gvir, is the biggest loser of the Israeli parliamentary elections, predicting its stay outside any future government coalition despite winning 7 seats in the Knesset. The newspaper, in a report on its website, stated that the outlines of the upcoming government are still unclear, but the "Otzma Yehudit" party appears so far as the biggest loser of the election results.
Expectations of not joining the government
It added that "the seven seats won by Ben Gvir are not a failure, but the Otzma Yehudit party admits they are not a success either." The newspaper predicted the "Otzma Yehudit" party would remain outside the coalition, whether the leader of the "Change" bloc, head of the "Yesh Atid" party Gadi Eisenkot, forms a minority government or a national unity government, or whether Prime Minister and head of the "Likud" party Benjamin Netanyahu succeeds in forming the next government. It clarified that Netanyahu announced on the eve of the elections that he would keep the National Security and Defense portfolios with the "Likud" party if he forms a new government.
Preliminary negotiations and initial results
Ben Gvir had reiterated, before the elections, his desire for his party to obtain the two portfolios. These "Haaretz" estimates come after Ben Gvir discussed with Netanyahu on Thursday ways to prevent the opposition from forming a government. The Hebrew newspaper "Yedioth Ahronoth" reported on Friday that the two sides discussed during a lengthy meeting "ways to preserve the right-wing government and prevent the formation of a left-wing government supported by supporters of terrorism," according to an expression used in its report.
Knesset division and final results
Netanyahu and Ben Gvir fear the formation of a Jewish opposition government supported by Arab parties, after neither Netanyahu’s camp nor the "Change" camp obtained the majority of 61 seats required to form a government. On Thursday evening, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority announced the completion of vote counting in the elections, with Netanyahu’s camp winning 53 seats, compared to 48 for the "Change" camp and 19 for Arab parties, out of 120 seats in the Knesset. The final results are scheduled to be announced next Wednesday, after completing the auditing processes.
Source: Anadolu Agency
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