ISRAEL-ELECTION/NETANYAHU CAMPAIGNING As Netanyahu's rule hangs in the balance, he urges supporters to vote

Record ID: 347331

  • Title: ISRAEL-ELECTION/NETANYAHU CAMPAIGNING As Netanyahu's rule hangs in the balance, he urges supporters to vote
  • Date: 17th March 2015
  • Summary: ASHKELON, ISRAEL (MARCH 17, 2015) (REUTERS) MORE OF LIKUD PARTY SUPPORTERS
  • Embargoed: 1st April 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVA2HOA6ZTLMPL8F4A0XWGXADJZ
  • Story Text: As millions of Israelis voted on Tuesday (March 17) in a tightly fought election, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faced an uphill battle to defeat a strong campaign by the centre-left opposition to deny him a fourth term in office.
    Visiting the southern Israeli city of Ashkelon, which has been targeted by rocket fire from the neighbouring Gaza Strip, Netanyahu called on supporters to go out and vote.
    "I want to explain to you how important the vote is. We know that there is still a gap (in favour of the Zionist Union)," Netanyahu said.
    In many respects the vote has turned into a referendum on "Bibi" Netanyahu, in power for a total of nine years spread over three terms. If he wins again he would be on track to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister.
    When the last opinion polls were published on March 13, the centre-left, known as the Zionist Union and led by Isaac Herzog, held a four-seat advantage over Netanyahu's right-wing Likud, a margin that had it set for a surprise victory.
    But in the last three days of campaigning, Netanyahu went on a blitz to try to shore up his Likud base and attract votes from other right-wing, nationalist parties, promising more building of Jewish settlements and that the Palestinians would not get their own state if he were re-elected.
    In a possible sign of edginess, Netanyahu took to Facebook to denounce what he said was an effort by left-wing non-profit groups to get Arab-Israelis out to sway the election against him.
    "The right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are going to vote in droves. Left-wing NGOs are bringing them in buses," Netanyahu added.
    Voting ends at 2200 local (2000 GMT) on Tuesday, with the first exit polls published immediately afterwards.
    No party has ever won an outright majority in Israel's 67-year history, making coalition-building the norm. It is also an opaque and highly unpredictable game, with any number of allegiances possible among the 10 or 11 parties expected to win a place in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset.
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