Israel election: Netanyahu and right-wing bloc 'heading for victory' after conflicting exit polls

Near-complete results suggest Israel's election has returned Benjamin Netanyahu for a record fifth term as prime minister, after a night in which both he and his opponent Benny Gantz claimed victory as contradictory exit polls released by Israeli media sparked mayhem across party headquarters.

Prime Minister Netanyahu greeted jubilant crowds at his Likud party base in Tel Aviv saying that "this is a night of a tremendous victory". With 97.4 per cent of the vote counted on Wednesday morning, Likud and its right-wing allies were seen as commanding a solid 65-55 majority in parliament.

Against the backdrop of indoor fireworks and bursts of glittering confetti, the incumbent premier vowed that the right-wing bloc would continue to lead Israel for the next four years.

He called the win “almost unprecedented,” adding, “When did we receive so many seats? I don’t remember.”

Earlier in the night and just a few hundred metres away, the country’s ex-army chief Mr Gantz, also delivered a victory speech to an ecstatic crowd amid a confusing array of knife-edge initial results and exit polls.

"Elections have losers and elections have winners. And we are the winners," he said giving the victory sign with his hands and vowed to start work on building a government.

Exit polls in Israel are only provisional and in past elections have been notoriously imprecise. The first three initially gave Blue and White a strong lead over Likud. But as the polls also said no party won an outright majority of the 120-seat parliament, as is usual practice in Israel, the winner will be tasked by the president with forming a parliamentary coalition.

Israeli TV Channel 11 and 13 gave the Right bloc, traditionally lead by the Likud party, a significant lead to do that over the left. 

As the evening wore on there was further uncertainty when two of the channels then altered their polls to give Netanyahu's Likud a one-seat lead. 

The official central election committee count, meanwhile, showed a steady but narrow Likud win, as they worked through the ballots. 

Either way, and in spite of what now looks like a sizeable lead for the right wing bloc, the country is still likely to face what could be weeks of political negotiations over the precise composition of the ruling coalition.

Likud ministers told The Independent that there was no question that Mr Netanyahu would not be assembling the next cabinet, calling the results a “vote of confidence” in the leader.

“We will be the ones that have the option to build the next government and coalition... even the most optimistic scenario for Gantz and the left wing, means they can only build with Arab seats,” Gilad Erdan, Likud Minister of Strategic Affairs said.

Minister Erdan said the incumbent premier had won despite the fact he faces indictment on corruption charges across three cases. “Our strategy proved itself... Netanyahu proved he can run the country even under police investigation,” he added.

Yuval Steinitz, the Likud Minister of Energy said it was a “relief” that Israel voted “right, voted Likud, voted for Netanyahu”

“This was a vote of confidence... [People knew] it was better than voting a prime minister who had no experience,” he added referencing Gantz’s lack of political credentials.

A few hundred metres away at the Blue and White’s main base, Yael German, a current Knesset member who is on centrist alliance’s list, also claimed their team was preparing to create a government.

“The feeling tonight is wonderful, after two months who would have believed we would be able to succeed in such a clear way,” she said declaring a win.

“The public has spoken extremely clearly and said that we do not want racism, we do not want hatred any more, we want Blue and White and we are ready to make a change,” she added.

Mr Netanyahu had hoped to win the elections becoming the longest-serving prime minister in Israel’s history. But he may also be the first Israeli premier to face indictment while still in office.

His elections campaigning has been blighted by a February announcement from the country’s attorney-general that he may face trial on corruption charges.

Mr Netanyahu also courted controversy by overseeing the merger of key coalition partner, the ultranationalist party Jewish Home with Jewish Power, an offshoot of the Kach movement, which was outlawed by Israel and the US because of its racist and extremist views.

Both issues have boosted the chances of political newcomer Lt. Gen Gantz, who led the country’s army during the Gaza war in 2014 and has now formed a powerful coalition with opposition leader Yair Lapid and two former generals. That said, many criticised Gantz for being too inexperienced and unclear about his policies.