Israel

2013 Knesset Elections Results

Israeli Channel 2 TV news reports elections results
According to Israel’s Channel 2 TV news, this is the breakdown of the next Knesset:

  • Likud Beiteinu: 31 (-11)
  • Yesh Atid: 19 (+11)
  • Labor: 17 (+9)
  • The Jewish Home: 12 (+7)
  • Shas: 12 (+2)
  • HaTnua: 7 (+7)
  • Meretz: 7 (+4)
  • United Torah Judaism: 6 (+1)
  • Hadash: 4
  • Ra’am-Ta’al: 3 (-1)
  • Balad: 2 (-1)
The right-wing stands at 61 seats, the left at 59 (previously 55:65). Gone are Kadima (-21), Independence (-5), Strong Israel (-2) and Am Shalem (-1). The right:
  • Likud Beiteinu : 31
  • The Jewish Home: 12
  • Shas: 12
  • United Torah Judaism: 6
The “center” and left-wing:
  • Yesh Atid: 19
  • HaTnua: 7
  • Labor: 17
  • Meretz: 7
  • Arab parties (Hadash, Ra’am-Ta’al, Balad): 9
That means Binyamin Netanyahu will likely get to make the coalition as everyone expected in the lead up. Here are the questions that commentators are now asking:
  • With such a narrow lead — one seat — which center party will Netanyahu include to lend greater stability?
  • Since Yesh Atid is the likeliest contender with a sizable 19 seats, does that mean Netanyahu will leave out one of the more right-wing parties?
  • Would Netanyahu leave out one of the ultra-orthodox parties Shas or UTJ? That might be necessary since Yesh Atid campaigned centrally on putting the yeshivabuchers to work.
  • Is it really all but certain that Netanyahu will forgo including more centrist parties like Tzipi Livni’s HaTnua or even Labor?
Despite the fact that Netanyahu will be given the keys to the car again and there will be no (or precious few) progressives in Israel’s government this time either, there are a few silver linings. Larry Derfner at 972 Mag says no matter how you slice it, Netanyahu has lost control of a now more extreme right-wing. His days are numbered, but those coming to take his place are even worse. Brent Sasley at Open Zion is more optimistic that a centrist coalition is indeed possible, citing leadership differences between Netanyahu and head of the Jewish Home, Naftali Bennett.
And in the most interesting analysis of the results, Assaf Oron points out at The Only Democracy that in the last elections there were three Likud parties — Likud itself, Kadima as centrist-Likud, and Yisrael Beiteinu as Russian-Likud — with a total of 70 seats between them, while also taking a few seats from the left. Now, Likud-Beiteinu is down to 31 total. “The Right has passed its undeserved zenith,” he writes. Meanwhile, the lefties elected are actually progressives, including a strengthened Meretz and Labor.
More to come.

4 thoughts on “2013 Knesset Elections Results

  1. Adjustments as final polls roll in! Kadima teeters on tje 2% electoral threshold, in which case the right-left blocs are tied at 60-60 as below reported on Haaretz:
    Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu 31
    Yesh Atid 19
    Labor 15
    Shas 11
    Jewish Home 11
    UTJ 7
    HaTnua 6
    Meretz 6
    Raam-Taal 5
    Balad 3
    Kadima 2

  2. There’s a little to be happy about.
    The Arab voting rate seems to not have gone down; the so called Arab parties are up one seat. I’m glad it didn’t go to Balad.
    Likud is really down, weakening Bibi. Whatever happens, the next PM is a weak PM, which I hope translates into a stronger position for the Palestinians, the international community, and any left wing opposition.

  3. final FINAL results (including from soliders, prisoners, hospital patients, etc.) in today (Thursday). Jewish Home gets 12 seats, Raam-Taal gets 4. And Kadima is in. So in the end it is 61-59 right bloc.

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