Before I share with you the results of the election in Israel, have a quick read of this simple primer by CBN News to better understand the basics:

Instead of a two-party system, more than 30 jam Israel’s political landscape. They compete for 120 seats in Israel’s parliament.

Whoever wins the most seats must hammer together a coalition of 60 or more players to form the next government.

Like the United States, Israeli parties fall into the left or right. Dominating the right is the joint party of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Avigdor Leiberman called Likud-Beiteinu. On the left of the spectrum is the Labor Party.

Pretty simple. The right needs a 61 seat majority coalition to effectively govern. Actually, that’s not so simple according to the results from Israel National News:

With 99 percent of the votes counted, it seems that Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu may have a hard time creating the next coalition. Despite Netanyahu’s significant lead over rival parties, the right-wing and left-wing blocs are now evenly matched with 60 seats each.

Netanyahu’s Likud, which ran together with Yisrael Beytenu, took 31 seats. In second place is Yesh Atid with 19 seats, followed by Labor with 17.

Shas and Bayit Yehudi (Jewish Home) won 11 seats each. Yahadut HaTorah (Gimmel) got 7 seats, an increase over its current six.

Tzipi Livni’s Hatnua party got 6 seats, the Jewish-Arab Hadash party took 4 4, Meretz appears to have 6, the other Arab parties together earned 7, and Kadima appears to have passed the voting threshold with just 2 seats. Otzma L’Yisrael (Strong Israel, led by MK Michael Ben Ari) may not have made it into the Knesset.

While the numbers do not quite add up, as the final calculations have not been completed, the final breakdown will apparently leave current coalition members Likud, Bayit Yehudi and the hareidi-religious parties Shas and Yahadut HaTorah with a total of 60 seats, and Yesh Atid, Labor, Hatenua, Meretz, Kadima and the Arab parties with a total of 60 seats.

I think this is probably the best explanation of what happened – at least on a basic level. Read further analysis by David Horowitz at the Times of Israel:

Israel voted for change, and moved a little from right to center; Lapid is the big success but Netanyahu is still a winner, albeit battered and constrained.

1. Israel did not move to the right - Remarkably, given the regional instability and consequent Israeli wariness, the right-wing bloc took a bit of a pasting. It’s a more hawkish right-wing bloc, but it’s a smaller one, somewhat less able to get its own way. Instead, Israel moved a little to the center, as exemplified by the remarkable debut of Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid. What does this mean for the big regional issues, and especially for interaction with the Palestinians? Well, that depends on the nature of the coalition. And for that, we may have to wait a while.

2. Netanyahu is battered but he’s still a winner… almost certainly, with some serious caveats – You go into national politics because you want to lead your nation. And once you’ve made it to prime minister, you go into your next elections in order to remain prime minister. That’s what Netanyahu has apparently managed, unless the soldiers’ votes and other final adjustments in the next couple of days improbably change the delicate Knesset arithmetic to his detriment. This despite Netanyahu not being particularly popular and being a very well-known quantity in an election where many voters plainly favored the fresh, inexperienced and unsullied candidates. Tuesday’s was a vote for change. Dozens upon dozens of sitting Knesset members were swept aside. But Netanyahu rolled with the wave, and here he is again.

3. But his Likud party is a big loser – The Likud held 27 seats in the last Knesset. Now it will have only 20 — out of the 31-strong incoming Likud-Beytenu faction. Brace for lots of bitterness in the Likud. Lots of recriminations. The partnership with Avigdor Liberman meant that Netanyahu heads the biggest faction, so that’s hunky dory for him. But Likud lost right-wing votes to Naftali Bennett’s Jewish Home, and Yisrael Beytenu lost Russian votes to Yesh Atid. Many of the prime minister’s party colleagues are feeling rather less celebratory than he is today.

READ MORE…




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19 comments
1endtimes2020
1endtimes2020

The people are fortunate to have a leader like Netanyahu around. He won't have any difficulty obtaining enough people from the other parties to form a majority on issues that really matter.

If Israel is attacked, all elected representatives will join Netanyahu right away. If a lesser person had won the most seats, we'd have more to be concerned about, because of the possibility of 'land for peace' giveaways again, or some other such compromise, which only encourages the enemies. Israel's enemies may hate him, but they sure respect his abilities.

CO2isGood
CO2isGood

As others have stated, world leaders should be pretty clear about where they stand in regards to right and wrong, and which side they want to come down on.

If Obama really were the christian he claims to be, he would see what is happening in context with bible prophesy. Apparently he does not believe, since he is allowing Iran the means to fully realize end-times prophesy.

As terrible as it is to see Obama re-elected in the face of this growing danger for Israel, if the prophesies are to be fulfilled it must be expected, and since a majority of the country voted him in, we are going to have to live or die, with the consequences.

12grace
12grace

Congratulations Mr. Netanyahu.

However, I am sorry that the liberal idiots gained more power in Israel.

Daniel Chapter 2, Verses 20-23

davienne
davienne

Best Of Luck to BIBI... Our Hopes and Prayers go out to you... Im just saddened that we have an America hating .. Israel hating communist for 4 more dreaded years...

Libertyship46
Libertyship46

I wish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a lot of luck. He's going to need it, especially when Iran finally does have enough plutonium to make a nuclear bomb, which should happen sometime this year. And don't expect any help from Obama. He will undoubtedly let Israel twist in the wind.

Constance
Constance

I see that the electorate in Israel are just as schizophrenic as we are.

sjmom
sjmom

I've been listening to a very interesting teaching about Psalm 83 and how there is another war before Ezekiel 38. Though not a Bible prophecy scholar I do have an interest and try to listen to others who are knowledgeable on the subject. Because world events are moving so fast I can't help but wonder if and how this election will have any bearing upon future events. Having said that I'm glad Bibi pulled it out.

Watchman74
Watchman74

There's differing opinions. Some think Psalm 83 is prophetic, some think it's just a prayer. Some think Ezekiel 38 and Armageddon are the same, some think they are separate. Personally I think there all distinct battles.

1endtimes2020
1endtimes2020

I think it's so interesting, that Psalm 83 was written in the Jewish Bible called the Old Testament, long before Jesus was born. Look at this part of the psalm, speaking to God; "Look,your enemies are in revolt, and those who hate you are rebelling. They are making secret plans against your prople, they are plotting against those you protect. 'Come', they say, 'let us destroy their nation, so that Israel will be forgotten forever'",

Today's Israel began in 1948, and think how many times the enemies of Israel threatened to destroy Israel "so that Israel will be forgotten".

They use the same words from the Old Testament!!

That speaks big time why our leaders should be referring to the Bible as a guide. Thank you, SJMOM for bringing it to our attention.

martha chandler
martha chandler

Doesn't Isreal play a major role in Revelations?

1endtimes2020
1endtimes2020

They're right in the middle of it and the reason 200 million soldiers will go there. The Pentagon said, a few years ago, China had trained 250 million soldiers. Whatever will happen, will happen. Individually, we can stay close to God's word.

I like Malachi. God's word in a nutshell. Excellent reading.

Ray
Ray

I do not understand how there could be a strong liberal party there, unless it is getting it's money from the atheistic Jews here in the states.

Terry Smith
Terry Smith

You might recall, there is a 'divide' within the realm of Judaism, as there is in Christianity. In the USA, you have the orthodox, the raging orthodox - if you remember that rabbi that was shot in NYC, the lubavitch, the conservative, the reformed, and those who - "haven't spoken to G-d in a very long time".

From what I remember, there are Eastern European, Western European, Russian, American, and since the formation, Sabra. Each of which has a political past they either were doing what they could to leave behind, brought with them as part of their cultural nature, or were self-determining with the birth of the Nation.

Yes, it makes our Congress look easy! Now, just imagine if the USA ever decided to make its second choice of languages, for the 'official language of business', and only speak it in government. What was that second choice language? German!

notsofastthere
notsofastthere

I can imagine the Israeli people are frustraded with rocket attacks everyday and the world seems against them. Obama and Congress giving billions plus tanks and fighter jets to Egypt Muslim Brotherhood and demanding Israel give up more land. This has got to have an affect of a feeling of defeat on the people.

How did America elect a Marxist president for a second term? A sure guarantee we are failing as a country also.

1endtimes2020
1endtimes2020

Talking about land, I heard that Hillary had gone to China, and made a proposal to trade land for debt owed to China. Has anyone heard any more about that? There was one western state, and land in Michigan. I wonder if it could be Dearborn, Michigan where there is a large influx of muslims there, practicing Sharia law, and seem to have the cooperation of authorities, including the police.

If this was true, and brought out to the public, we'd have to ask ourselves why Obama wouldn't have known about that, and it would be an impeachable offence. It also shows the communist tendencies of Hillary and, of course, Obama too, since he attended a communist teaching course in Chicago.

The actions of Obama will tell the tale about all of this.

1endtimes2020
1endtimes2020

Doggonit, you'd think the Republicans would know something about that.

notsofastthere
notsofastthere

Sometime back I heard (maybe on Glenn Beck) suggest that if China wants to collect on what America owes, that she will demand ownership of land and mineral deposits in lieu of money. That to me is a very plausable theory.

Mark
Mark

Well put sir.