According to a US media report, the personal data of all voters in the recent Israel elections has been leaked.

A report in the New York Times said that names, addresses and identity card numbers of over 6.4 million voters in the Israel elections were leaked while adding that some phone numbers were also leaked.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-heads-to-new-election-third-in-twelve-months-as-stalemate-continues-267768">Also Read: Israel heads to third election in twelve months as stalemate continues</a>

The newspaper reported that the leak occurred due to an error in the website which was promoting the app called Elector. The flaw as reportedly discovered by a person who informed Israel's&nbsp;Haaretz newspaper. &nbsp;The app was meant to show real-time numbers during election day.

Israel's Justice ministry’s privacy protection authority launched an investigation after the leak became public. The privacy body said &nbsp;had “initiated an oversight process due to suspicions of violations of the Privacy Protection Act and Privacy (Information Security) Regulations, following the leak of information on the voter registry.”

“Privacy Protection Authority supervisors are currently in the offices of one of the companies from which the voter registry with the personal information was allegedly leaked,” it added.

The privacy body said the responsible party would be "criminally or civilly liable" in the event of a breach of the Privacy Protection Act.

The development comes even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested Likud party supporters to download the application to get more supporters in the run-up to the polls in March.

According to a US media report, the personal data of all voters in the recent Israel elections has been leaked. A report in the New York Times said that names, addresses and identity card numbers of over 6.

According to a US media report, the personal data of all voters in the recent Israel elections has been leaked. A report in the New York Times said that names, addresses and identity card numbers of over 6.4 million voters in the Israel elections were leaked while adding that some phone numbers were also leaked. Also Read: Israel heads to third election in twelve months as stalemate continues The newspaper reported that the leak occurred due to an error in the website which was promoting the app called Elector. The flaw as reportedly discovered by a person who informed Israel's Haaretz newspaper. The app was meant to show real-time numbers during election day. Israel's Justice ministry’s privacy protection authority launched an investigation after the leak became public. The privacy body said had “initiated an oversight process due to suspicions of violations of the Privacy Protection Act and Privacy (Information Security) Regulations, following the leak of information on the voter registry.” “Privacy Protection Authority supervisors are currently in the offices of one of the companies from which the voter registry with the personal information was allegedly leaked,” it added. The privacy body said the responsible party would be "criminally or civilly liable" in the event of a breach of the Privacy Protection Act. The development comes even as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu requested Likud party supporters to download the application to get more supporters in the run-up to the polls in March.

Data of all Israeli voters leaked as election app fails;  investigation launched

Israel headed on Wednesday towards the ballot boxes for a record third time in 12 months.

As expected, there was no last-minute miracle as President of Israel Reuven Rivlin's deadline for government formation expired overnight.

Interestingly, even before the deadline lapsed, the Israeli parliament passed a preliminary vote to dissolve itself.

The fresh elections will now be held on March 2 in 2020.

Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to twitter blaming the blue and white party for leading the country to a third election.

He has vowed to win big, this time around.But in reality, Netanyahu faces an uphill battle.

So what does this hat-trick of polls mean for Israel.For Netanyahu, it means more time in office.

He will be looking to reinforce his position by going ahead with his plan to annex the west bank.

As long as he is the prime minister, Netanyahu has immunity from prosecution.

For the general public, this means yet another trip to the polling stations.

Public anger has been growing against the political class for not being able to find common ground.

But recent opinion polls indicate that much of that anger is directed at Netanyahu than his opponent Benny Gantz.

Gantz's blue and white is likely to win more seats than Netanyahu's likud party according to the poll.But he is still likely to fall short of the majority mark.

Israel headed on Wednesday towards the ballot boxes for a record third time in 12 months. As expected, there was no last-minute miracle as President of Israel Reuven Rivlin's deadline for government formation expired overnight.

Israel headed on Wednesday towards the ballot boxes for a record third time in 12 months. As expected, there was no last-minute miracle as President of Israel Reuven Rivlin's deadline for government formation expired overnight. Interestingly, even before the deadline lapsed, the Israeli parliament passed a preliminary vote to dissolve itself. The fresh elections will now be held on March 2 in 2020. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu took to twitter blaming the blue and white party for leading the country to a third election. He has vowed to win big, this time around.But in reality, Netanyahu faces an uphill battle. So what does this hat-trick of polls mean for Israel.For Netanyahu, it means more time in office. He will be looking to reinforce his position by going ahead with his plan to annex the west bank. As long as he is the prime minister, Netanyahu has immunity from prosecution. For the general public, this means yet another trip to the polling stations. Public anger has been growing against the political class for not being able to find common ground. But recent opinion polls indicate that much of that anger is directed at Netanyahu than his opponent Benny Gantz. Gantz's blue and white is likely to win more seats than Netanyahu's likud party according to the poll.But he is still likely to fall short of the majority mark.

Israel heads to new election: Third in twelve months as stalemate continues

Israel is staring at a third general election this year after <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/deadlocked-israel-faces-repeat-vote-with-deadline-nearing-267198">Benjamin Netanyahu </a>and his rival Benny Gantz failed to reach an agreement over a coalition government

The parliament needs to reach a deal to avert a new election before 11:59 pm (2159 GMT), however, it looks unlikely any breakthrough will occur in a short span over the deadlocked September elections.

Netanyahu and Gantz have engaged in months of negotiations over a potential unity government but have repeatedly disagreed on who should lead it. PM Netanyahu, 70, faced with corruption charges has refused to budge even as &nbsp;Gantz called on him to step down last month. Under Israeli law Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving prime minister can remain in office despite an indictment.

"After 80 days, it's time that for one day, for the citizens of Israel, we sit and have a serious discussion about forming a broad unity government. It's not too late," Gantz said.

Amid the uncertainty, Israelies are now looking at voting for the third time after April and September after Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party nor the centrist Blue and White party led by his main rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, won enough seats in the Knesset.

"People think that acts of corruption can be forgiven because of one political circumstance or another," Gantz said at a press conference while taking a dig at PM Netanyahu, adding, "the support of the people who want to protect the prime minister causes them to be blind."

Netanyahu and Gantz were given 28-day period after the September election to negotiate a coalition under Israel's proportional political system, however, it failed to materialise with both men sticking to their position.

A party needs to get the support of more than half of the 120-seat Knesset to form the government.

Israel is staring at a third general election this year after Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz failed to reach an agreement over a coalition government The parliament needs to reach a deal to avert a new election before 11:59 pm (2159 GMT), however, it looks unlikely any breakthrough will occur in a short span over the deadlocked September elections.

Israel is staring at a third general election this year after Benjamin Netanyahu and his rival Benny Gantz failed to reach an agreement over a coalition government The parliament needs to reach a deal to avert a new election before 11:59 pm (2159 GMT), however, it looks unlikely any breakthrough will occur in a short span over the deadlocked September elections. Netanyahu and Gantz have engaged in months of negotiations over a potential unity government but have repeatedly disagreed on who should lead it. PM Netanyahu, 70, faced with corruption charges has refused to budge even as Gantz called on him to step down last month. Under Israeli law Netanyahu, the country's longest-serving prime minister can remain in office despite an indictment. "After 80 days, it's time that for one day, for the citizens of Israel, we sit and have a serious discussion about forming a broad unity government. It's not too late," Gantz said. Amid the uncertainty, Israelies are now looking at voting for the third time after April and September after Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud party nor the centrist Blue and White party led by his main rival, former military chief Benny Gantz, won enough seats in the Knesset. "People think that acts of corruption can be forgiven because of one political circumstance or another," Gantz said at a press conference while taking a dig at PM Netanyahu, adding, "the support of the people who want to protect the prime minister causes them to be blind." Netanyahu and Gantz were given 28-day period after the September election to negotiate a coalition under Israel's proportional political system, however, it failed to materialise with both men sticking to their position. A party needs to get the support of more than half of the 120-seat Knesset to form the government.

Israel stares at third election after Benjamin Netanyahu, Benny Gantz fail to reach agreement

Faced by a political deadlock and indictment on corruption charges, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be running out of options.

Netanyahu who has refused to step down has agreed to elections for the leadership of his Likud party.&nbsp;

Israeli media reported the Likud primary would be held in six weeks. A party spokesman was not reachable to confirm the timeline.

Netanyahu is the current chair of his party.

Pressure has been mounting on Israel's longest-serving PM after he was indicted on a series of charges including bribery.

While Netanyahu has vowed to fight against the charges, some in his party feel that he has been denting the image of Likud.

Netanyahu's position in the party will likely be challenged.&nbsp;

Israel's Supreme Court dismissed a petition by a watchdog group to force Netanyahu to step aside.

But a more pressing issue is the government formation or else Israel will head to its third general election in less than a year.

Netanyahu's rival Benny Gantz has proposed the formation of a unity govt in which Gantz will serve as the Prime Minister for 2 years &amp; Netanyahu will become the Prime Minister for the remaining 2 years of the government. This of course, if Netanyahu is not forced to take a leave of absence.

Gantz's offer will end in 17 days after which a third election is inevitable. However, Netanyahu has so far shown little interest in the former army chief's offer.

Faced by a political deadlock and indictment on corruption charges, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be running out of options. Netanyahu who has refused to step down has agreed to elections for the leadership of his Likud party.

Faced by a political deadlock and indictment on corruption charges, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be running out of options. Netanyahu who has refused to step down has agreed to elections for the leadership of his Likud party. Israeli media reported the Likud primary would be held in six weeks. A party spokesman was not reachable to confirm the timeline. Netanyahu is the current chair of his party. Pressure has been mounting on Israel's longest-serving PM after he was indicted on a series of charges including bribery. While Netanyahu has vowed to fight against the charges, some in his party feel that he has been denting the image of Likud. Netanyahu's position in the party will likely be challenged. Israel's Supreme Court dismissed a petition by a watchdog group to force Netanyahu to step aside. But a more pressing issue is the government formation or else Israel will head to its third general election in less than a year. Netanyahu's rival Benny Gantz has proposed the formation of a unity govt in which Gantz will serve as the Prime Minister for 2 years & Netanyahu will become the Prime Minister for the remaining 2 years of the government. This of course, if Netanyahu is not forced to take a leave of absence. Gantz's offer will end in 17 days after which a third election is inevitable. However, Netanyahu has so far shown little interest in the former army chief's offer.

Political deadlock in Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu running out of options

Israel's president meets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his challenger Benny Gantz on Wednesday as the clock began ticking on a one-week deadline for him to name someone to form a government.

Israel's president meets Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his challenger Benny Gantz on Wednesday as the clock began ticking on a one-week deadline for him to name someone to form a government. President Reuven Rivlin received official results from Israel's deadlocked September 17 election on Wednesday afternoon, beginning the one-week timeframe, while his three-way meeting is set for 6 pm (1500 GMT). He could name someone to try to form a coalition as early as Wednesday, and speculation has run rampant over whether he will do so or wait until after the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah, which falls on Monday and Tuesday. In either case, the person selected will face what could turn out to be an impossible mission: forming a governing coalition when neither man has a clear path to a majority. Gantz's centrist Blue and White and Netanyahu's right-wing Likud have started talks on forming a unity government, but they appear far apart on a range of issues, including who will lead it. etanyahu is Israel's longest-serving prime minister and has shown no sign of willingly giving up the post he has held for a total of more than 13 years. Wednesday night's meeting with Rivlin, Netanyahu and Gantz will be their second since the election, and the president has repeatedly made clear he would like to see both of their parties in a unity government. He has pledged to do all he can to avoid yet another election -- which would be the third in a year's time after April polls also ended inconclusively. "While the elections highlighted the divisions within Israeli society -- Jewish and Arab, religious and secular -- it is now time to work together on building a shared vision for our common future," Rivlin said at a Wednesday reception for foreign diplomats marking the Jewish new year. "I therefore believe that the right path for the state of Israel today is to build as broad a governing coalition as possible." A rotation arrangement has been floated, but the question of who would be premier first remains a major stumbling block. Chief negotiators for Likud and Blue and White met Tuesday, but emerged afterward with only vague statements. The timing in a rotation agreement is especially important for Netanyahu, who is facing possible corruption charges in the weeks ahead pending a hearing set for early October. A prime minister does not have to step down if indicted -- only if convicted with all appeals exhausted -- while other ministers can be forced to do so when charged. Extra seat for Likud The final results Rivlin received Wednesday gave Likud one more seat compared to the near-complete results published last week, but the deadlock remains unchanged. Blue and White remains the largest party with 33 seats, ahead of Likud's 32 out of parliament's 120. Israel's Arab parties, running together under the Joint List alliance, finished as the third-largest force in parliament with 13 seats. Should Likud and Blue and White succeed in forming a unity government, Joint List head Ayman Odeh could emerge as Israel's first Arab opposition leader. Netanyahu has highlighted the fact that he has more support from smaller parties in parliament -- giving him a total of 55 seats backing him -- and pledged not to abandon them in a coalition deal. Gantz says his party is the largest and he should be in the lead. The timing of Rivlin's announcement on his selection for who should try to form a government may depend on the progress of negotiations between the Likud and Blue and White. The person chosen would then have 28 days to form a government, with a possible two-week extension. If all attempts fail, Rivlin can then assign the task to someone else.

Netanyahu, Gantz set for new talks on Israel vote deadlock

Samir Farig had never thought of voting for Israel's Arab political parties before, but he did it this week, joining a wave of support that helped deliver a breakthrough.

"This time I decided to vote only for Arab parties. Why? Because I think that they should be (the ones) representing me", said Farig.

An Arab citizen of Israel like most people in the town of Kufr Qassem in central Israel, the 54-year-old was a lifelong supporter of the Israeli Labour Party, dominated by the country's Jewish majority.

But he said that he was fed up with Israel's Arab population being the target of constant scorn by the Jewish right.

He saw Tuesday's elections as an opportunity to help oust right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, so he switched his vote.

He was part of a surge that, according to results so far, show Arab parties running together under the Joint List alliance with 13 seats in parliament - the third-largest bloc.

"We are living in Israel, we pay all the taxes and we do everything that they ask of us. But getting our rights depends on the rules that he decides", he said, speaking of Netanyahu.

"The Jews, even those on the left, are far from (having) the problems of the Arabs today."

Turnout boost

Arab Israelis are Palestinians that remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948.

Their number stands at around 1.8 million, making up &nbsp;20 per cent of the population, but they complain of discrimination in the Jewish majority state.

The increased turnout of Arab Israelis and the improved performance of their political parties was a major trend in Tuesday's do-over election, just five months after an indecisive April vote.

In many Arab towns, turnout jumped more than 10 percentage points compared to April due to a combination of improved organisation and opposition to Netanyahu.

In April's election, the four main Arab parties, which range from Communists to Islamists with many variations in-between, split into two groupings, dividing the vote.

The two groupings won only 10 seats in the 120-seat Israeli Parliament.

For Tuesday, they revived the 2015 Joint List under the slogan "More votes, more impact", led by Ayman Odeh, who says he wants a party for both Arabs and Jews and supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Depending on the make-up of the next government, Odeh has a realistic chance to become the country's opposition leader.

In Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, turnout was up by 15 per cent to 55 per cent compared to April.

The Joint List received 91 per cent of that vote -- up from 83 per cent for the two groupings six months ago.

Diana Buttu, a Palestinian political analyst, said the Arab parties had learned a lesson from the bad organisation and division of April's election.

'Get Bibi out'

Dislike of Netanyahu and fear of his right-wing policies served as an important motivating factor.

The longtime leader has been accused of trying to suppress Arab turnout and last year passed a controversial law declaring Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people, in part downgrading the status of Arabic as an official language.

During the 2015 election, he controversially tried to scare his supporters out to the polls by saying Arabs were voting "in droves."

In a taunting reply late Tuesday, Arab Israeli MP Ahmed Tibi tweeted that they had indeed voted "in droves".

Issa, 50, who did not want to give his full name, said that he had been motivated by his dislike of Netanyahu.

"I don’t like the Arab parties. I voted for them to make them strong but they haven’t done anything for us," he said.

"The most important thing is to get Bibi out,” he added, using the common nickname for Netanyahu.

Even after the elections led to another stalemate on Tuesday, raising the possibility of a coalition government. However, Netanyahu warned about including any Arab parties in a potential coalition, saying they "praise bloodthirsty terrorists who murder our soldiers, citizens and children".

Buttu said that Netanyahu’s tactics had backfired and helped increase Arab turnout.

In Nazareth, young political activist Fadi Zoabi had helped run a campaign to get voters out.

"They organised cars to take people to the polls", the 21-year-old said.

"The unity of the list is what made people vote more... In the Middle East there is no list that combines communists, nationalists and Islamists", he added.

He was hoping that the gains would lead to cancelling the nation-state law, as well as more economic support for Arab communities.

"The day of the elections is the only day when my voice has the same value as a Jewish Israeli", he said.

Samir Farig had never thought of voting for Israel's Arab political parties before, but he did it this week, joining a wave of support that helped deliver a breakthrough.

Samir Farig had never thought of voting for Israel's Arab political parties before, but he did it this week, joining a wave of support that helped deliver a breakthrough. "This time I decided to vote only for Arab parties. Why? Because I think that they should be (the ones) representing me", said Farig. An Arab citizen of Israel like most people in the town of Kufr Qassem in central Israel, the 54-year-old was a lifelong supporter of the Israeli Labour Party, dominated by the country's Jewish majority. But he said that he was fed up with Israel's Arab population being the target of constant scorn by the Jewish right. He saw Tuesday's elections as an opportunity to help oust right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, so he switched his vote. He was part of a surge that, according to results so far, show Arab parties running together under the Joint List alliance with 13 seats in parliament - the third-largest bloc. "We are living in Israel, we pay all the taxes and we do everything that they ask of us. But getting our rights depends on the rules that he decides", he said, speaking of Netanyahu. "The Jews, even those on the left, are far from (having) the problems of the Arabs today." Turnout boost Arab Israelis are Palestinians that remained on their land after the creation of Israel in 1948. Their number stands at around 1.8 million, making up 20 per cent of the population, but they complain of discrimination in the Jewish majority state. The increased turnout of Arab Israelis and the improved performance of their political parties was a major trend in Tuesday's do-over election, just five months after an indecisive April vote. In many Arab towns, turnout jumped more than 10 percentage points compared to April due to a combination of improved organisation and opposition to Netanyahu. In April's election, the four main Arab parties, which range from Communists to Islamists with many variations in-between, split into two groupings, dividing the vote. The two groupings won only 10 seats in the 120-seat Israeli Parliament. For Tuesday, they revived the 2015 Joint List under the slogan "More votes, more impact", led by Ayman Odeh, who says he wants a party for both Arabs and Jews and supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Depending on the make-up of the next government, Odeh has a realistic chance to become the country's opposition leader. In Nazareth, the largest Arab city in Israel, turnout was up by 15 per cent to 55 per cent compared to April. The Joint List received 91 per cent of that vote -- up from 83 per cent for the two groupings six months ago. Diana Buttu, a Palestinian political analyst, said the Arab parties had learned a lesson from the bad organisation and division of April's election. 'Get Bibi out' Dislike of Netanyahu and fear of his right-wing policies served as an important motivating factor. The longtime leader has been accused of trying to suppress Arab turnout and last year passed a controversial law declaring Israel the nation-state of the Jewish people, in part downgrading the status of Arabic as an official language. During the 2015 election, he controversially tried to scare his supporters out to the polls by saying Arabs were voting "in droves." In a taunting reply late Tuesday, Arab Israeli MP Ahmed Tibi tweeted that they had indeed voted "in droves". Issa, 50, who did not want to give his full name, said that he had been motivated by his dislike of Netanyahu. "I don’t like the Arab parties. I voted for them to make them strong but they haven’t done anything for us," he said. "The most important thing is to get Bibi out,” he added, using the common nickname for Netanyahu. Even after the elections led to another stalemate on Tuesday, raising the possibility of a coalition government. However, Netanyahu warned about including any Arab parties in a potential coalition, saying they "praise bloodthirsty terrorists who murder our soldiers, citizens and children". Buttu said that Netanyahu’s tactics had backfired and helped increase Arab turnout. In Nazareth, young political activist Fadi Zoabi had helped run a campaign to get voters out. "They organised cars to take people to the polls", the 21-year-old said. "The unity of the list is what made people vote more... In the Middle East there is no list that combines communists, nationalists and Islamists", he added. He was hoping that the gains would lead to cancelling the nation-state law, as well as more economic support for Arab communities. "The day of the elections is the only day when my voice has the same value as a Jewish Israeli", he said.

In a breakthrough, Arab Israelis turn out to vote 'in droves'

Israel elections: Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda and settlement issue

Israeli lawmakers voted to dissolve parliament on Thursday (May 30), paving the way for a new election after veteran Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline.

Israelis angered as they face second election in months

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is all sent to form the next government in the Knesset — the Israeli Parliament, with the Right-wing coalition led by the Likud party having won 65 out of a total of 120 seats.

In turn, Netanyahu would not only become the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israel, but the election result has also underscored Israeli people’s approval of his domestic and foreign policy, despite him facing corruption charges.

In fact, since Netanyahu assumed the charge of Prime Minister in 2009, Israel’s gross domestic product has increased by 70 per cent. At the same time, the Netanyahu government has also initiated efforts to reinvent ties with the rest of the world. In particular, Israel has succeeded in getting the US to shift its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights among other things.

Improved ties between India and Israel have also been a major foreign policy priority of the Netanyahu government. In the last five years, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have made calibrated efforts to strengthen this relationship. This can be appreciated from the fact that during this period, several high profile political visits between the two countries have taken place.

While the then President Pranab Mukherjee became the first Indian President to visit Israel in 2015, Prime Minister Netanyahu, after meeting Modi at the UN, said that “sky is the limit” as far as India-Israel relations are concerned.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally visited Israel in July 2017, marking the end of India’s policy to look at ties with Israel through the prism of Arab-Israeli conflict.

Subsequently, Prime Minister Netanyahu paid a return visit to India in January 2018, with the two sides having reviewed their bilateral ties and discussed the means through which the relationship could be further strengthened.

Of course, the ardent desire of Modi and Netanyahu to elevate the engagement has not evolved in a vacuum. There are a number of motivations for the Modi government to seek close diplomatic ties with Israel.

First, India sees Israel play a crucial role in its endeavour to modernise its military and replace aged Russian defence hardware, given its expertise in the field of defence manufacturing.

Second, New Delhi now strongly feels that Tel Aviv’s active participation through the ‘Make in India’ programme will certainly help in boosting India’s economic growth and provide jobs to millions of people in the country.

True to expectations, Netanyahu has shown an interest in cooperating with the Modi government in its economic and developmental initiatives.

Thirdly, the China factor. Over the last several years, Israel is said to be China’s major defence supplier. This, in turn, has increased India’s security concerns, especially in view of Beijing long-time claims on some parts of Indian territory. There is also an apprehension in Indian strategic circles that Israeli military hardware and weapons sold to China could find their way to Pakistan, given the close nexus between Islamabad and Beijing.

Fourth, recent Russian overtures of forging defence cooperation with Pakistan has emerged as a security concern.

Fifth, political and security turmoil in the Middle East have helped India in expanding ties with Israel without attracting much criticism from the Arab States.

Lastly, despite India’s pro-Arab tilt in its Middle East policy, they have never made any effort to address India’s concerns on Kashmir. Instead, in the past, these countries have used the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as a tool to support Pakistan on Kashmir.

For its part, Israel can look forward to defence ties with this country in view of the fact that New Delhi is supposed to spend $150 billion to modernise its military by 2027. It also needs India’s support on the Palestine issue.

Deepening ties with Tel Aviv does not mean that the Modi government is unaware of the importance of the Arab States or there is a shift in India’s stand on Palestine. The presence of Sushma Swaraj at the OIC was a clear reflection of the balanced policy that the Modi government has pursued towards the Arab world and Israel. 
 
&nbsp;

(This article was originally published on DNA. Read the <a href="https://www.dnaindia.com/analysis/column-how-netanyahu-s-re-election-impacts-india-israel-relations-2740659">original article</a>)

(Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.) 
&nbsp; 
&nbsp;

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is all sent to form the next government in the Knesset — the Israeli Parliament, with the Right-wing coalition led by the Likud party having won 65 out of a total of 120 seats.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is all sent to form the next government in the Knesset — the Israeli Parliament, with the Right-wing coalition led by the Likud party having won 65 out of a total of 120 seats. In turn, Netanyahu would not only become the longest-serving Prime Minister in Israel, but the election result has also underscored Israeli people’s approval of his domestic and foreign policy, despite him facing corruption charges. In fact, since Netanyahu assumed the charge of Prime Minister in 2009, Israel’s gross domestic product has increased by 70 per cent. At the same time, the Netanyahu government has also initiated efforts to reinvent ties with the rest of the world. In particular, Israel has succeeded in getting the US to shift its embassy to Jerusalem and recognise Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights among other things. Improved ties between India and Israel have also been a major foreign policy priority of the Netanyahu government. In the last five years, he and Prime Minister Narendra Modi have made calibrated efforts to strengthen this relationship. This can be appreciated from the fact that during this period, several high profile political visits between the two countries have taken place. While the then President Pranab Mukherjee became the first Indian President to visit Israel in 2015, Prime Minister Netanyahu, after meeting Modi at the UN, said that “sky is the limit” as far as India-Israel relations are concerned. Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally visited Israel in July 2017, marking the end of India’s policy to look at ties with Israel through the prism of Arab-Israeli conflict. Subsequently, Prime Minister Netanyahu paid a return visit to India in January 2018, with the two sides having reviewed their bilateral ties and discussed the means through which the relationship could be further strengthened. Of course, the ardent desire of Modi and Netanyahu to elevate the engagement has not evolved in a vacuum. There are a number of motivations for the Modi government to seek close diplomatic ties with Israel. First, India sees Israel play a crucial role in its endeavour to modernise its military and replace aged Russian defence hardware, given its expertise in the field of defence manufacturing. Second, New Delhi now strongly feels that Tel Aviv’s active participation through the ‘Make in India’ programme will certainly help in boosting India’s economic growth and provide jobs to millions of people in the country. True to expectations, Netanyahu has shown an interest in cooperating with the Modi government in its economic and developmental initiatives. Thirdly, the China factor. Over the last several years, Israel is said to be China’s major defence supplier. This, in turn, has increased India’s security concerns, especially in view of Beijing long-time claims on some parts of Indian territory. There is also an apprehension in Indian strategic circles that Israeli military hardware and weapons sold to China could find their way to Pakistan, given the close nexus between Islamabad and Beijing. Fourth, recent Russian overtures of forging defence cooperation with Pakistan has emerged as a security concern. Fifth, political and security turmoil in the Middle East have helped India in expanding ties with Israel without attracting much criticism from the Arab States. Lastly, despite India’s pro-Arab tilt in its Middle East policy, they have never made any effort to address India’s concerns on Kashmir. Instead, in the past, these countries have used the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC) as a tool to support Pakistan on Kashmir. For its part, Israel can look forward to defence ties with this country in view of the fact that New Delhi is supposed to spend $150 billion to modernise its military by 2027. It also needs India’s support on the Palestine issue. Deepening ties with Tel Aviv does not mean that the Modi government is unaware of the importance of the Arab States or there is a shift in India’s stand on Palestine. The presence of Sushma Swaraj at the OIC was a clear reflection of the balanced policy that the Modi government has pursued towards the Arab world and Israel. (This article was originally published on DNA. Read the original article) (Disclaimer: The opinions expressed above are the personal views of the author and do not reflect the views of ZMCL.)

How Netanyahu’s re-election impacts India-Israel relations

Israel's Netanyahu announces 'colossal victory' after election exit polls

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu for <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israels-netanyahu-wins-reelection-with-parliamentary-majority-tally-209271">winning the elections</a> in his country.

"My dear friend Bibi, Congratulations! You are a great friend of India, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to take our bilateral partnership to new heights. @netanyahu," PM Modi said on Twitter.

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My dear friend Bibi, Congratulations! You are a great friend of India, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to take our bilateral partnership to new heights. <a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@netanyahu</a>
— Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1115916217431277568?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 10, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Netanyahu secured a clear path to re-election on Wednesday, with religious-rightist parties set to hand him a parliamentary majority despite a close contest against his main centrist challenger, a vote tally showed.

With more than 97 per cent of votes counted, Netanyahu's conservative Likud party looked likely to muster enough support to control 65 of the Knesset's 120 seats and be named to head the next coalition government - a record fifth term as premier.

Modi and Netanyahu developed cordial connect after the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Israel in July, 2017 - first ever by an Indian Prime Minister. He was received at the airport by Netanyahu - an honour afforded to only a few select leaders.

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<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WATCH?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WATCH</a> Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says, 'Aapka swagat hai mere dost' welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel <a href="https://t.co/QjtsoCek2R">pic.twitter.com/QjtsoCek2R</a>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/882227611501346816?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2017</a></blockquote>
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Modi was welcomed by Netanyahu with a hug. "Aapka swagat hai mere dost (Welcome my friend)," said Netanyahu in his welcome address.

Six months later, Modi hosted Netanyahu and wife Sara in his home state Gujarat. He also presented a special gift - a water desalination and purification jeep - to PM Modi.

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PM Netanyahu and <a href="https://twitter.com/PMOIndia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PMOIndia</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@narendramodi</a> attend a demonstration of a mobile seawater desalination unit. <a href="https://t.co/FLhZsScgXM">pic.twitter.com/FLhZsScgXM</a>
— PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) <a href="https://twitter.com/IsraeliPM/status/882894955362103296?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2017</a></blockquote>
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This was the second visit of any Israeli Prime Minister to India. Prior to this, Ariel Sharon came to India in 2003 during PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee tenure.

Watch: A brief profile of Israel's longest-serving prime minister

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu for winning the elections in his country. "My dear friend Bibi, Congratulations!

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu for winning the elections in his country. "My dear friend Bibi, Congratulations! You are a great friend of India, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to take our bilateral partnership to new heights. @netanyahu," PM Modi said on Twitter. My dear friend Bibi, Congratulations! You are a great friend of India, and I look forward to continuing to work with you to take our bilateral partnership to new heights. @netanyahu — Chowkidar Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 10, 2019 × Netanyahu secured a clear path to re-election on Wednesday, with religious-rightist parties set to hand him a parliamentary majority despite a close contest against his main centrist challenger, a vote tally showed. With more than 97 per cent of votes counted, Netanyahu's conservative Likud party looked likely to muster enough support to control 65 of the Knesset's 120 seats and be named to head the next coalition government - a record fifth term as premier. Modi and Netanyahu developed cordial connect after the Indian Prime Minister's visit to Israel in July, 2017 - first ever by an Indian Prime Minister. He was received at the airport by Netanyahu - an honour afforded to only a few select leaders. #WATCH Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu says, 'Aapka swagat hai mere dost' welcoming Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Israel pic.twitter.com/QjtsoCek2R — ANI (@ANI) July 4, 2017 × Modi was welcomed by Netanyahu with a hug. "Aapka swagat hai mere dost (Welcome my friend)," said Netanyahu in his welcome address. Six months later, Modi hosted Netanyahu and wife Sara in his home state Gujarat. He also presented a special gift - a water desalination and purification jeep - to PM Modi. PM Netanyahu and @PMOIndia @narendramodi attend a demonstration of a mobile seawater desalination unit. pic.twitter.com/FLhZsScgXM — PM of Israel (@IsraeliPM) July 6, 2017 × This was the second visit of any Israeli Prime Minister to India. Prior to this, Ariel Sharon came to India in 2003 during PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee tenure. Watch: A brief profile of Israel's longest-serving prime minister

Look forward to work with you: PM Modi congratulates Netanyahu for poll win

Israelis began voting on Tuesday in an election that could hand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a record fifth term or see him dethroned by an ex-general. Watch this video to know more