Update March 29, 06:30 With over 95% of the votes counted from yesterday's election for the 17th Knesset, the result that emerges is as follows: Kadima 28 seats, Labor 20, Shas 13, Yisrael Beiteinu 12, Likud 11, Ihud Leumi-National Religious Party 9, Pensioners 7, United Torah Judaism 6, Meretz 4, Arab parties 10.
The result is a disappointment for Ehud Olmert and Kadima: opinion polls had given the party about 37 seats, and it hoped to at least top 30.
Olmert, who faces a difficult task in forming a coalition from a weaker base than he had hoped, and with a very fragmented Knesset, said last night that the result represented a majority for his policy of unilateral withdrawal in the West Bank. He called on the Palestinian leadership to enter into negotiations and to be prepared for concessions as Israel was, but said that, failing this, Israel would take its destiny into its own hands.
March 28, 22:04 According to the exit poll conducted on behalf of Voice of Israel Radio, conducted by Prof. Yitzhak Katz, the Kadima party, led by Ehud Olmert, won 30 of the Knesset's 120 seats in today's election for the 17th Knesset. Labor, under Amir Perez, won 19 seats, while the Likud party, under Benjamin Netanyahu, won 10 seats.
The Likud, according to the poll, has won the smallest number of seats in its history. Likud chariman Benjamin Netanyahu said in response to his party's performance, "Arik Sharon brought down the Likud, and left me with a tattered party, which I am starting to rehabilitate. We have seen better days, and we will again see better days. I shall continue to lead the Likud."
The surprise package of these election, Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, won 13 seats, according to the exit poll, making it the third largest party.
Another new force is the Pensioners Party, which won 7 seats according to the poll.
At 63.2%, the turnout in this election was the lowest ever, and down 4.5% on the previous Knesset elections.
The range of results according to the various exit polls is: Kadima 29-32 seats; Labor 19-22; Yisrael Beiteinu 12-14; Likud 10-12; Shas 10-11; Ihud Leumi-Mafdal 7-9; Pensioners 5-8; United Torah Judaism 5-8; Meretz 5; Arab parties 6.
Live coverage in English of the election results is available at JerusalemOnline
Published by Globes [online], Israel business news - www.globes.co.il - on March 28, 2006
© Copyright of Globes Publisher Itonut (1983) Ltd. 2006