Netanyahu’s Likud storms to victory in Israel general elections

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud Party has won a surprise victory in Israel’s election, the BBC reports.

Exit polls had forecast a dead heat but with almost all votes counted, results give Likud a clear lead over its main rival, the centre-left Zionist Union.

The outcome gives Mr Netanyahu a strong chance of forming a right-wing coalition government.

It puts the incumbent on course to clinch a fourth term and become Israel’s longest-serving prime minster.

The latest tally gives Likud 30 seats in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset, with Zionist Union on 24 seats.

In a speech to jubilant supporters in Tel Aviv after Tuesday’s polls closed, Mr Netanyahu described the vote as a “great victory” for Likud, which had trailed the Zionist Union in opinion polls in the run-up to the election.

Mr Netanyahu “plans to immediately begin forming a government in order to complete the task within two to three weeks,” a statement from Likud said.

Zionist Union leader Yitzhak Herzog called Mr Netanyahu early on Wednesday to congratulate him on the result and wished him “good luck”.

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