'One-time opportunity to defeat Iran': Netanyahu claims right-wing bloc has ‘decisive majority’, rejects exit polls

Even as no party is projected to get a clear majority in Israel according to exit polls, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed confidence about forming the upcoming government. At the Likud election headquarters in Jerusalem, with supporters cheering him, Netanyahu said that this is ‘historic, one-time opportunity’ to defeat Iran ‘once and for all.' He also said that it is a “shame” that parties are willing to cooperate with Arab parties. He exuded confidence stating that ‘right-wing bloc has a clear, decisive majority among the Zionist public.’

Also Read: Israel elections: Record voter turnout in decades

According to exit polls by Pollster Direct Polls the race for the Knesset has tightened dramatically with Netanyahu bloc projected to win 55 seats, 49 for the Gadi Eisenkot led opposition bloc and 16 for the Arab parties. Voter turnout in Israel's Oct 27 election stood at 77.7 per cent as of 10 pm, the highest level of voter participation recorded at this hour since 1999. This is Israel’s first election since the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, Gaza and Iran wars.

What Netanyahu said in post-election speech?

Netanyahu opposed the formation of a government dependent on Arab parties he described as anti-Zionist, alleging that some of them support Hamas and call Israeli soldiers “murderers and war criminals.” "We must establish a national, right-wing, strong government. That is what we must do. It is simply forbidden that we should endanger Israel and establish a government that leans on Arab parties that are anti-Zionist," Netanyahu said.

Also Read: Who will bring peace to West Asia: Benjamin Netanyahu or Gadi Eisenkot?

He reiterated his call for unity among Jewish and Zionist political groups. “The right-wing bloc has a clear, decisive majority among the Zionist public among the Jewish public and all those who support the state. For this reason, we need a right-wing, national, strong government. That’s what has to be done. It is unthinkable “to endanger Israel and set up a government that relies upon anti-Zionist Arab parties – parties that oppose our very existence, that regard Hamas as a charitable organization, that call our soldiers war criminals," he said.

Mentioning Iran in his pitch once again, he claimed that “Iran is weaker than ever, Israel is stronger than ever." He added that along with US President Donald Trump, Israel will end the Iranian threat once and for all. “Israel is facing a historic, one-time opportunity along with our friend President Trump to remove the Iranian threat once and for all. We have been able to overcome our enemies, and we will be able to in the future,” he said, before joining in to the song blasting through the speakers.