ISRAEL: Israeli newspapers on production line declaring Kadima head Tzipi Livni winner of exit polls for general elections

Record ID: 395663

  • Title: ISRAEL: Israeli newspapers on production line declaring Kadima head Tzipi Livni winner of exit polls for general elections
  • Date: 11th February 2009
  • Summary: VARIOUS MORE OF STACKS OF NEWSPAPERS ON CONVEYOR BELTS MORE OF PRODUCTION LINE PRINT WORKER PLACING NEWSPAPERS ON FORK LIFT NEWSPAPER STACKS ON FORKLIFT, DRIVEN TO PARKING LOT
  • Embargoed: 26th February 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Israel
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Communications,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA1TAYQUVD128Y4GQQML8GBHKFG
  • Story Text: Israeli newspapers on Wednesday (February 11) were cautious of declaring Israeli Foreign Minister and head of Kadima party Tzipi Livni as winner of Israeli general elections, after exit polls showed her narrowly ahead of opposition head Benjamin Netanyahu, leader of the Likud party.
    'Haaretz' newspaper's English edition headline read 'Exit polls: Kadima Edges Likud'.
    Earlier, Livni claimed victory in Tuesday's election, but her right-wing challenger Netanyahu said he should be prime minister after a cliffhanger vote that was too close to call.
    Exit polls gave Livni's centrist Kadima party a two-seat lead over former premier Netanyahu's Likud. But neither won more than a quarter of parliament's seats and the early counting showed the right narrowing the gap to just a single seat.
    An overall rightward shift in the Knesset will, in any case, dent hopes in the Obama administration for an Israeli coalition that can drive forward in making peace with the Palestinians and other Arab neighbours after last month's war in the Gaza Strip.
    In her victory speech, Livni called upon Netanyahu to join a national unity coalition under her leadership.
    But Netanyahu said polls showed there would be a right-wing majority in Israel's highly fragmented parliamentary system and that his Likud party would be able to head a new coalition.
    A tight finish once tallies are complete on Wednesday will hand a key role to President Shimon Peres, who in theory can nominate any legislator to try to form a government.
    In practice, there is no precedent for not nominating the leader of the biggest party immediately after an election.
    It is likely to be weeks before a new cabinet can be formed.
    Just getting so far was an achievement for the 50-year-old former Mossad agent and corporate lawyer who wants to become Israel's first woman leader since Golda Meir in the 1970s.
    Former premier Netanyahu was cruising to victory until Livni and the centre-left coalition under outgoing prime minister Ehud Olmert launched a three-week offensive in Gaza. It won massive popular support in Israel despite an international outcry over the 1,300 Palestinians killed in the Hamas-ruled enclave.
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