Netanyahu likely clings to job in Israel election

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters at his election campaign headquarters, Jan. 23, 2013 in Tel Aviv, Israel. / Getty

Updated at 6:59 a.m. Eastern.

JERUSALEM Israel's parliamentary election ended Wednesday in a stunning deadlock between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's hard-line bloc and center-left rivals, forcing the badly weakened Israeli leader to scramble to cobble together a coalition of parties from both camps, despite dramatically different views on Mideast peacemaking and other polarizing issues.

Israeli media said that with 99.8 percent of votes counted on Wednesday morning, each bloc had 60 of parliament's 120 seats. Commentators said Netanyahu, who called early elections expecting easy victory, would be tapped to form the next government because the rival camp drew 12 of its 60 seats from Arab parties who've never joined a coalition.

That means the right-wing Netanyahu will have to form a coalition with moderates who support peace talks with the Palestinians, reports CBS Radio News correspondent Robert Berger. That could help Netanyahu improve ties with the U.S., but it could also mean he is only able to build an unstable coalition government that won't last.

A startlingly strong showing by a political newcomer, the centrist Yesh Atid party, turned pre-election forecasts on their heads and dealt Netanyahu his surprise setback.

Yesh Atid, or There is a Future, a party headed by political newcomer Yair Lapid, is now Netanyahu's most likely partner. Lapid has said he would only join a government committed to sweeping economic changes and a resumption of peace talks with the Palestinians.

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Addressing his supporters early Wednesday, Netanyahu vowed to form as broad a coalition as possible. He said the next government would be built on principles that include reforming the contentious system of granting draft exemptions to ultra-Orthodox Jewish men and the pursuit of a "genuine peace" with the Palestinians. He did not elaborate, but the message seemed aimed at Lapid.

Shortly after the results were announced, Netanyahu called Lapid and offered to work together. "We have the opportunity to do great things together," Netanyahu was quoted as saying by Likud officials.

Netanyahu's Likud-Yisrael Beitenu alliance was set to capture about 31 of the 120 seats, significantly fewer than the 42 it held in the outgoing parliament and below the forecasts of recent polls.

With his traditional allies of nationalist and religious parties, Netanyahu could put together a shaky majority of 61 seats, results showed. But it would be virtually impossible to keep such a narrow coalition intact, though it was possible he could take an additional seat or two as numbers trickled in throughout the night.

The results capped a lackluster campaign in which peacemaking with the Palestinians, traditionally the dominant issue in Israeli politics, was pushed aside. Netanyahu portrayed himself as the only candidate capable of leading Israel at a turbulent time, while the fragmented opposition targeted him on domestic economic issues.

Israeli actor, journalist and author Yair Lapid, leader of the Yesh Atid party, speaks to supporters, Jan. 23, 2013 at his party headquarters in Tel Aviv.

/ Getty

Netanyahu's goal of a broader coalition will force him to make some difficult decisions. Concessions to Lapid, for instance, will alienate his religious allies. In an interview last week with The Associated Press, Lapid said he would not be a "fig leaf" for a hard-line, extremist agenda.

Lapid's performance was the biggest surprise of the election. The one-time TV talk show host and son of a former Cabinet minister was poised to win 19 seats, giving him the second-largest faction in parliament.

Presenting himself as the defender of the middle class, Lapid vowed to take on Israel's high cost of living and to end the contentious system of subsidies and draft exemptions granted to ultra-Orthodox Jews while they pursue religious studies. The expensive system has bred widespread resentment among the Israeli mainstream.

Thanks to his strong performance, Lapid is now in a position to serve as the kingmaker of the next government. He will likely seek a senior Cabinet post and other concessions.

Yaakov Peri, a member of Lapid's party, said it would not join unless the government pledges to begin drafting the ultra-Orthodox into the military, lowers the country's high cost of living and returns to peace talks. "We have red lines. We won't cross those red lines, even if it will cost us sitting in the opposition," Peri told Channel 2 TV.

Addressing his supporters, a beaming Lapid was noncommittal, calling only for a broad government with moderates from left and right. "Israelis said no to the politics of fear and hatred," he said. "And they said no to extremism and anti-democracy."

There was even a distant possibility of Lapid and more dovish parties teaming up to block Netanyahu from forming a majority.

"It could be that this evening is the beginning for a big chance to create an alternative government to the Netanyahu government," said Shelly Yachimovich, leader of the Labor Party, which won 15 seats on a platform pledging to narrow the gaps between rich and poor.

Although that seemed unlikely, Netanyahu clearly emerged from the election in a weakened state.

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[p_syrus]

For the good of all the world may god ensure that Netanyahu fails.

[nearl451]

Guess Sheldon Adelson was slightly more effective at buying an election in Israel (through the only viable newspaper) than in the US......but just barely.

Now Bibi has to make deals with moderates to govern. O the humility.

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

well crap.

chicken hawked azzed SOB. Worst thing Israel could have done.

So we are going to have to endure his mouth hole telling USA what to do for a few more years.

[nearl451]

In a way, however, it did show that foreign money influences cannot simply buy a landslide.

Bibi will have trouble governing with the coalition that remains.

[PATIROT1776]

NO SUCH THING AS PALESTINIANS: March 31, 1977, the Dutch newspaper Trouw published an interview with Palestine Liberation Organization executive committee member Zahir Muhsein.
Here's what he said: "The Palestinian people does not exist. The creation of a Palestinian state is only a means for continuing our struggle against the state of Israel for our Arab unity. In reality today there is no difference between Jordanians, Palestinians, Syrians and Lebanese. Only for political and tactical reasons do we speak today about the existence of a Palestinian people, since Arab national interests demand that we posit the existence of a distinct "Palestinian people" to oppose Zionism.
For tactical reasons, Jordan, which is a sovereign state with defined borders, cannot raise claims to Haifa and Jaffa, while as a Palestinian, I can undoubtedly demand Haifa, Jaffa,Beer-Sheva and Jerusalem. However, the moment we reclaim our right to all of Palestine, we will not wait even a minute to unite Palestine and Jordan."

William Patirot

[nearl451]

Still cherry picking your facts, I see.

[PATIROT1776]

The radical Islam government in Iran is Jimmy Carter's fault he helped destroy the secular government in Iran. Obama is doing the same thing in other Islam countries. Obama even used the U.S. Air force in Libya that cost us millions to get the job done. The secular governments Obama is helping to destroy in Islam countries will be replaced with more radical Islam governments that will kill Christian's burn churches and come up against Israel and force Islam on the world. How many more countries like Iran will Obama help create?

William Patirot

[nearl451]

Your assessment lacks historical credibility.

The recipe of supporting our favorite strongman and call it democracy or moderation has backfired in several foreing policy 'experiments' as well.

Better to think through the best chance of long term stability, instead of prettified suppression.

[mamasrudeboy]

...wow wow wow! wait a minute ... a few months ago when America's biggest WELFARE RECEPIENT PRIME MINISTER from Israel came to America...all the rePUGS, birthers and teabags stood and cheered Netanyahu after he dissed Sir Obama on the house floor...yea! you all said Netanyahu gave THE OMNIPOTENT SIR A LESSON...now this old fowl can't even win an election as he is still focused on STEALING MORE PALESTINIAN LAND with the aid of BILLIONS in AMERICA's TAXPAYER's money......hmmmmmmmmm

[godswatchinu]

From a distance, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict seems more like a battle between hawks and doves rather than a battle of two peoples. Over the years, whenever one side saw the other side moving toward peace, an attack would soon ensue. It's as if the "warrior" Israeli needs the "warrior" Palestinian and vice-versa. A peace agreement would take all of this "manly fun" away.

Peace may be reached when the "doves" on both sides see this battle for what it really may be: Testosterone filled men (notice women seldom have leadership positions) that have their entire identity tied to threatening and killing other men.

[stsheetrock]

If Israel ain't do it. Who will? Kleptomaniacs! Are you kidding? Likud stood no chance on its own to beat-up Obama's darlings Yesh Atid (19 seats) and Labor (17seats) unless Likud joined hands with Nightclub Bouncer Defunct Avigdor Lieberman Party Yisrael Beiteinu. According to grassroots testimony Likud (15seats) and Yisrael Beiteinu (16 seats) that's makes total 31 seats for Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu coalition. Left bloc garnering 58 and right wing bloc 62. Benjamin Netanyahu will be next prime minister of Israel. That's will save Israelifirster journalists who're infesting World News with Worthless Trash, the trouble finding storied history to taint headlines. Alas the ugliest form of democracy scam on planet earth. Here's the deal.. Netanyahu will not uproot major Jewish communities in any peace deal.. that's what he said to the unemployable deranged stateless settlers who took the street to vote for him.. Let see. Talk is cheap. Condoms on me Bibi!
Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu 31 seats
Balad 2
Habayit Yehudi 12
Hadash 4
Hatnuah 7
Kadima 0
Labor 17
Likud-Beytenu 31
Meretz 7
Otzma 2
Raam 3
Shas 12
UTJ 6
Yesh Atid 19

[knsn_for_cmn_sense]

Either a bushpublican spendocrat post.

Or hasbara.

Aint our problem there stubby.

[zorroaca44]

Until we rid ourselves of these hatemonger leaders ... we will continue to suffer ...........

[loopybrit]

will the building of settlements on occupied land stop,i think not,at least not in the short term.