The 22nd Knesset to have fewer women and only 3 members of the LGBT community. Almost all of the MKs were elected in the April election, with only eight freshmen members. Results pending certification of final vote count.
Central Elections Committee says 99% of ballots have been counted, meaning Blue and White and its allies are all but guaranteed 57 seats, compared with the right-wing bloc's 55 seats. Lieberman's Yisrael Beytenu vows not to endorse Netanyahu.
The "tie" between the Right and the Left after this week's election is nothing but wool over people's eyes, because even Blue and White leader Benny Gantz knows that Israel's next government cannot be based on the Arab parties. Also, what happened to the Israeli Right?
Blue and White MK Moshe Ya'alon: "We will not enter a coalition led by Netanyahu. … The time has come for [Likud members] to tell Netanyahu, 'Thank you for all you've done.'"
Israeli political battle lines often fracture along how the country balances Jewish religion and liberal democracy. These tensions were a central issue in this week's national election and may influence the makeup of the next coalition.
With neither the pro-Netanyahu nor anti-Netanyahu camp having a clear majority, party leaders will need to put egos and pledges aside to cross bloc lines and create a functioning government.
Blue and White leader says election results prove his party won, vows to establish a national unity government with him at the head.
"Benny, we must set up a broad unity government, as soon as today. The nation expects us, both of us, to demonstrate responsibility and that we pursue cooperation," Netanyahu tells Blue and White leader Benny Gantz. President Rivlin welcomes Netanyahu's "important call.” Yamina leader Naftali Bennett: Gantz must answer PM's call for unity "immediately."
Ramallah is willing to hold talks with "any future Israeli leader," says PA Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki. "Whoever will be able to form a government, we are ready to sit with him or her in order to restart the negotiations."
PM Netanyahu convenes heads of national-religious and ultra-Orthodox parties to consolidate right-wing bloc. If President Reuven Rivlin tasks Blue and White leader Benny Gantz with forming the government, "Nothing will come of it. We'll be one bloc, he can't do anything," Netanyahu says. Likud officials: Netanyahu is our only candidate for prime minister, we won't oust him.