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UPDATE: Soldiers' votes do not alter result– Kadima 28, Likud 27

by tikun | February 11, 2009 at 03:44 am

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Two days after the general election on Tuesday, it was clear that even after all of the soldiers' votes had been counted on Thursday evening, the mandate distribution was not altered.

Final election count expected tonight
Netanyahu hurries to form national unity government

Following the final votes' count, Kadima remained with 28 mandates, Likud was close behind with 27 mandates, Israel Beiteinu was the third biggest party with 15 mandates, Labor recieved only 13 mandates, and Shas had 11 mandates.

In addition to 700 polling stations at IDF and Border Police bases, double envelopes from 194 hospital polling stations, 1,319 stations for the disabled, 92 at embassies overseas and 56 in prisons were counted

Sorry for not following up last night Israel Time but we had a national internet crash from a leading internet supplier and as a result I was unable to update.

Even with 99% of today's ballots tallied, the identity of Israel's next prime minister is anyone's guess. The tight race between Kadima's Tzipi Livni and the Likud's Benjamin Netanyahu will now be determined by President Shimon Peres, who is required to task one of the candidates with forming a new government.

Kadima managed to secure 28 mandates while the Likud won 27, with a mere 36,000 votes separate between the two. Netanyahu's chances at consolidating a relatively cohesive right-wing coalition are undeniably stronger than Livni's coalition-building options.

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Rob Walker

at 10:15 on February 11th, 2009

With both sides declaring victory and a margin of only one seat, it could take weeks before the government is formally declared and becomes active again.

But there is nothing in writing -- Israel has no formal constitution -- that obliges President Shimon Peres to ask Livni to forge a coalition.

A leading Palestinian leader says the conservative wins in Israel's election could hinder peace efforts.

A leading Palestinian force for peace and nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation voiced alarm over Israel’s national election Tuesday, in which conservative parties enjoyed their strongest showing in years, and sketched out advice for President Barack Obama as the U.S. wades back into the thick of Israeli-Palestinian peace negotiations.

tikun

at 11:53 on February 11th, 2009

Thanks for the comments Rob. The President does have the right after consultaions to ask any party he wants that he thinks has a serious chance at forming a government. But it has never actually happened that a President didn't first ask the party with the largest number of seats to first attempt at forming a coalition.

In all due respect to the Palestinian leadership no matter who or what party got elected they will never have a kind word nor an optimistic one about Israel or their sincerity about making peace. Real or imagined, it is part of their rhetoric.