Bibi wins primary
Party landslide for embattled Israeli PM
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won a landslide victory in a primary election for leadership of the ruling Likud party.
Official results announced early Friday showed Netanyahu capturing 72% of the votes, compared with 28% for challenger Gideon Saar.
Earlier, Netanyahu had declared a “huge victory.”
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 apparent victory over Likud lawmaker Gideon Saar 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 early Friday, just over an hour after polls closed.
“Thanks to the members of Likud for the trust, support and love,” he added. “God willing, I willleadLikudtoabig victory in the coming elections.”
In a tweet, Saar congratulated Netanyahu (photo) and said he would support the prime minister in the national election. “I am absolutely comfortable with my decision to run,” he added. “Whoever isn't ready to take a risk for the path he believes in will never win.”
The result of the primary will also prolong Israel's political uncertainty. Despite Likud's strong position, the March vote was expected to leave the party and its main rival, the centrist Blue and White, unable to form a government on their own, and Netanyahu's lingering legal troubles could again scuttle efforts to form a national unity government. Netanyahu, who has led the country for the past decade, has maintained his position atop the political right by cultivating an image as a veteran statesman with close ties to U.S. President Trump, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other world leaders.
His refusal over the past decade to make any concessions to the Palestinians was rewarded after Trump took office, as the U.S. began openly siding with Israel on several key issues, validating Netanyahu's approach in the eyes of many Israelis and adding to his mystique.
Netanyahu's hard-line approach to Iran has also proved popular. He was an opponent of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal, which has unraveled since Trump withdrew from the agreement. A wave of Israeli strikes on Iranlinked targets in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq has burnished Netanyahu's claims to having protected Israel from its enemies.
His fortunes have nevertheless waned over the past year, after he was unable to form a government following unprecedented back-to-back elections in March and September. His party came in second place in September's elections, leading many observers to view the vote as the beginning of the end.
Last month, Netanyahu was indicted on charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes, the culmination of three probes.