BREAKING: Israelis are voting in national elections for the fifth time since 2019, hoping to break the political deadlock that has paralyzed the country for the past 3 1/2 years.
With former allies and proteges refusing to sit under him while he is on trial, Netanyahu, who was expected to cast his ballot later Tuesday, has been unable to form a viable majority government in the 120-seat Knesset, or parliament. His opponents, an ideologically diverse constellation of parties, are equally hamstrung in cobbling together the 61 seats needed to rule.
Buoyed by his followers’ almost cult-like adoration, Netanyahu, 73, has rejected calls to step down by his opponents, who say someone on trial for fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes cannot govern. Netanyahu denies wrongdoing, but embarrassing details from his ongoing trial repeatedly make front page news.In Israel’s fragmented politics, no single party has ever won a parliamentary majority, and coalition-building is necessary to govern.
“If Netanyahu is triumphant,” wrote columnist Sima Kadmon in the Yediot Ahronot daily, “these will be the final days of the state of Israel as we have known it for 75 years.” Netanyahu was ousted last year after 12 years in power by the diverse coalition forged by Lapid, Netanyahu’s main challenger.The coalition, made up of nationalists who oppose Palestinian statehood, dovish parties that seek a peace agreement, as well as for the first time in the country’s history, a small Arab Islamist party, united over their distaste for Netanyahu but collapsed this spring because of infighting.
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