Netanyahu, Gantz supporters voice cautious optimism after election too close to call

Record ID: 1432823

  • Title: Netanyahu, Gantz supporters voice cautious optimism after election too close to call
  • Date: 17th September 2019
  • Summary: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) ***WARNING: CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** BIG SCREENS AT BLUE AND WHITE PARTY'S HEADQUARTERS, SHOWING THREE MAJOR ISRAELI CHANNELS' EXIT POLLS WITH EX-GENERAL BENNY GANTZ'S PARTY LEADING BLUE AND WHITE'S KNESSET MEMBER ASSAF ZAMIR HUGGING SUPPORTERS COUPLE KISSING AND HUGGING SCREEN SHOWING EXIT POLLS VARIOUS OF BLUE AND WHITE KNESSET MEMBER YOAZ HENDEL DURING AN INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) BLUE AND WHITE KNESSET MEMBER YOAZ HENDEL SAYING: "I think that we can already say that the majority of Israelis would like to see a different government, a unity between the big parties inside Israel that will represent the majority of the Israelis, the Zionistic interests." LIKUD SUPPORTERS DANCING AT THE PARTY'S HEADQUARTERS VARIOUS OF LIKUD SUPPORTERS HOLDING FLAG READING 'TRUMP -2020- KEEP AMERICA GREAT', CHANTING 'BIBI KING OF ISRAEL IS ALIVE' FLAGS READING 'NETANYAHU. STRONG. RIGHT'/ SUPPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) AKIVA NOF, FORMER KNESSET MEMBER, SAYING: "It's indecisive, the only thing is that Mr. Lieberman holds both sides but let's see what happens later, now you can't say anything." VARIOUS OF MAN (SOUNDBITE) (English) LIKUD KNESSET MEMBER YOAV KISH SAYING: "I think that it's too early to decide, we have to wait to the actual results. We have been in this scenario four months ago and we've seen that the whole picture has changed. So I ask everybody - a little bit more patient, let's wait for the night and we'll talk in the morning." TEL AVIV, ISRAEL (SEPTEMBER 17, 2019) (REUTERS) PEOPLE SITTING IN A TEL AVIV CAFE SMARTPHONE SCREEN SHOWING ISRAELI CH. 13 NEWS EXIT POLLS (SOUNDBITE) (Hebrew) OFIR ROSELIN, MANAGER AT A TEL AVIV CAFE, SAYING: "I hope they will surprise, I hope they will prove a pleasant surprise. The time has come for a change." VARIOUS OF PEOPLE AT CAFE BREAKING NEWS STRIP RUNNING ON A DIGITAL SCREEN IN A TEL AVIV STREET STREET
  • Embargoed: 1st October 2019 22:56
  • Keywords: Israel election Benny Gantz Benjamin Netanyahu supporters exit polls
  • Location: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
  • City: TEL AVIV, ISRAEL
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Government/Politics,Elections/Voting
  • Reuters ID: LVA001AX1PW7B
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: "We should wait for final results" - is the one thing that supporters of both Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and ex-general Benny Gantz agreed on Tuesday (September 17) after exit polls following Israel's second election in four months showed the race too close to call.
    The surveys by Israeli television stations gave Netanyahu's right-wing Likud 31-33 of parliament's 120 seats compared with 32-34 for the centrist Blue and White led by Gantz.
    They indicated that Netanyahu's ally-turned-rival, ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman, could be the kingmaker, with the backing of his far-right Yisrael Beitenu party critical to the formation of any ruling coalition.
    Supporters and politicians at the main party headquarters remained calm ahead of the publication of official results.
    The election was called after Netanyahu, 69, failed in efforts to cobble together a coalition following an April ballot in which Likud and Blue and White wound up in a dead heat, each taking 35 parliamentary seats. It is the first time Israel has had two general elections in a single year.
    "I hope they will prove a pleasant surprise. The time has come for a change," said Ofir Roselin, a manager at a Tel Aviv Cafe.
    (Production: Eli Berlzon, Rami Amichay, Ran Tzabar, Lianne Back)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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