Netanyahu wins Likud’s leadership race

ISRAELI Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu won a landslide victory in a primary election for leadership of the ruling Likud party.

Official results announced on Friday showed Netanyahu capturing 72% of the votes, compared with 28% for challenger Gideon Saar.

Earlier Netanyahu had declared a “huge victory.”

The victory provided the embattled leader an important boost ahead of the country’s third election in less than a year.

The strong showing by Israel’s longest-serving leader could give him another opportunity to form a government following the March election, after falling short in two previous attempts earlier this year.

The victory also keeps alive Netanyahu’s hopes of winning immunity from prosecution after being indicted last month on a series of corruption charges.

“A giant victory,” Netanyahu tweeted, just over an hour after polls closed.