Netanyahu keeps his grip on power

BENJAMIN Netanyahu was heading for a historic fifth term as Israel’s prime minister last night.

In a close-fought election, his Likud party edged ahead of its main rivals, putting him in position to form another Right-wing coalition.

Mr Netanyahu had played the international statesman and was handed PR victories by allies Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.

The US President overturned long-held American policy by recognising Israel’s annexation of the Golan Heights. And the Russian head of state helped return the body of an Israeli soldier killed 37 years ago in Lebanon.

The election confirmed Israel’s continued tilt to the Right and dimmed hopes of a negotiated solution to the Palestinian conflict.

Hanan Ashrawi, a senior Palestinian official, said the results showed that Israel had chosen to entrench ‘oppression, occupation, annexation and dispossession’.

With 97.4 per cent of the vote counted, Likud and its allies held a 65-55 majority in parliament. Mr Netanyahu’s main challenger was former military chief Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party.

The victory came in the face of possible criminal proceedings. ‘His fifth term might end up being his shortest one,’ said Reuven Hazan, of Jerusalem’s Hebrew University.