Israel Election 2022: Yair Lapid Congratulates Benjamin Netanyahu

Jerusalem
CNN
–

Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid called Benjamin Netanyahu to congratulate him on winning the Israeli election, the prime minister’s office announced Thursday, 48 hours after the polls closed.

Israel’s Central Electoral Committee announced the final allocation of seats for the 25th Knesset last Thursday, giving Netanyahu and his political allies 64 seats in the House of Representatives, enough for most of the governing body.

President Isaac Herzog said on Wednesday that he will begin consultations with politicians to form a new government after the results are officially confirmed on November 9.

Netanyahu’s return to power could signal fundamental changes to Israeli society. Netanyahu’s government will almost certainly include the newly ascendant Jewish National Religious Zionism/Jewish Power alliance, whose leaders include Itamar Ben Givir, who has been accused of inciting racism and supporting terrorism.

Asked by CNN on Tuesday about concerns that Netanyahu would lead a far-right government if returned to office, Netanyahu responded by referring to the Ra’am party, which made history last year as the first member of an Arab party. Coalition of the State of Israel.

“We don’t want a government with a Muslim Brotherhood that supports terrorism, denies the existence of Israel, and is hostile to the United States.” That’s what we’re bringing,” Netanyahu told CNN in English at his polling station in Jerusalem.

Netanyahu’s allies have discussed changes to the justice system. That could end the corruption charges Netanyahu has pleaded not guilty to.

Netanyahu himself is one of the main issues not only in Tuesday’s election but in the four before it, with voters – and politicians – divided into camps on whether or not they want the man known internationally as Bibi.

One of the problems in building a stable government in the last four elections is that even some political parties that agree with Netanyahu on the issue are not willing to work with him either personally or politically.

The election It was the highest turnout since 2015. The Central Election Committee said 71.3% of voters had cast their ballots, which it said was the highest turnout in any of the past four elections, or had resulted in short-term governments.