Netanyahu bloc maintains edge over opposition in Israeli elections as vote count continues

Jewish News Syndicate / NEW YORK POST 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s bloc of right-wing and religious parties held a lead over the opposition on Thursday morning, according to updated partial results from the Central Elections Committee.

Netanyahu’s Likud party had 1,085,162 votes (20.65%) after 5,278,597 votes had been counted at 12,032 voting stations, the committee said in an update at 9:08 a.m.

Netanyahu’s bloc, which also includes United Torah Judaism (293,990, 5.59%), Otzma Yehudit (292,985, 5.58%), Shas (277,689, 5.28%) and Religious Zionism-Zehut (250,996, 4.78%), had 2,200,822 votes, or 41.88%.

Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar had 849,121 votes (16.16%). Together with B’Yachad (476,857, 9.07%), the Democrats (340,562, 6.48%) and Yisrael Beiteinu (311,728, 5.93%), his camp had 1,978,268 votes, or 37.64%. Read more, and see photos here.