Archive photo: Office of Speaker Mike Johnson, public domain.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a strong national right-wing government in his post-election speech in Jerusalem early Wednesday, while acknowledging that Israel was still waiting for the official results.
Speaking to Likud activists, Netanyahu said the right-wing bloc had a “clear, decisive majority” among the Zionist and Jewish public and those who support the state, according to The Times of Israel’s report from the speech. That was his political claim about those constituencies, not an announcement that his bloc had secured a parliamentary majority.
“We are still waiting for the true results,” Netanyahu said, also declaring Likud Israel’s biggest party. He urged the Zionist public to unite and said a strong right-wing government should be formed.
Public broadcaster Kan’s own report confirmed the call for a national right-wing government and his statement that the actual results were still awaited. Ynet reported his appeal at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center for the Zionist majority to unite.
The distinction between a speech, an exit poll and a completed count remains important. In its report on the speech, Kan said its updated exit poll put Likud at 27 seats, the pro- and anti-Netanyahu blocs at 51 seats each, and the Arab parties at 18. Those were Kan’s projections, not certified election results.
Netanyahu opposed forming a government dependent on Arab parties he described as anti-Zionist. His speech framed the coming political negotiations around that position, rather than presenting an agreed governing coalition.
The Central Elections Committee’s national results page remains the source for the official partial count. Its published figures are incomplete and do not by themselves establish the final distribution of seats or who can form a government.
JBizNews Desk | Jerusalem
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