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JERUSALEM. – Millions of Israelis turned out to vote yesterday in a tightly-fought election, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing an uphill battle to defeat a strong campaign by the centre-left opposition to deny him a fourth term in office. In many respects the election has turned into a referendum on “Bibi” Netanyahu (65), who has been in power for a total of nine years spread over three terms. If he wins he would be on track to become Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, but would probably also prolong a prickly relationship with the country’s main ally, the United States, at least as long as Barack Obama is in the White House.
Netanyahu has focused on the threat from Iran’s nuclear programme and militant Islam. But many Israelis say they are tiring of this message and the centre-left’s campaign on social and economic issues, especially the high cost of housing and everyday living in Israel, appears to have won support. In a possible sign of edginess, Netanyahu took to Facebook to denounce what he said was an effort by left-wing non-profit groups to get Arab-Israelis out to sway the election against him. “The right-wing government is in danger,” he wrote. “Arab voters are going to vote in droves. Left-wing NGOs are bringing them in buses.”
When the last opinion polls were published on March 13, the centre-left Zionist Union led by Isaac Herzog held a four-seat lead over Netanyahu’s Likud, a margin that had the opposition set for a surprise victory.
But in the last days of campaigning, Netanyahu fought to shore up his Likud base and lure voters from other right-wing, nationalist parties, promising more building of Jewish settlements and saying the Palestinians would not get their own state if he were re-elected. – Reuters.
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