The outcome of Tuesday’s elections in Israel proved disappointing to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was hoping to come away with an even stronger coalition after he formed an alliance between his Likud party and the right-wing Israel Beiteynu (“Israel is Our Home”). And yet, despite the disappointment, Netanyahu managed to retain the top job, just as everyone was sure he would.
It would have taken a miracle, and not a small one, the pollsters said, for a leftist candidate to become prime minister.
The only unknowns ahead of the vote were the margin of victory and the shape of Netanyahu’s governing coalition, a question that remains unanswered.