JERUSALEM — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief rival said Monday that he has agreed with a smaller party to work together to form a new government following national elections last week. The announcement by Benny Gantz, leader of the Blue and White Party, dealt a new setback to Netanyahu as...
Israel's Embattled Netanyahu Declares Victory in Primary
JERUSALEM — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared victory early Friday in his primary election battle for leadership of the Likud party, as TV stations predicted a landslide win for the longtime Israeli leader. The apparent victory means that Netanyahu will lead Likud into March elections, the country's third election...
Israeli Lawmaker Aims to Oust Netanyahu in Likud Primary
JERUSALEM — Israel’s governing Likud party was holding a primary vote on Thursday in the first serious internal challenge to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his more than a decade in power. Veteran politician Gideon Saar hopes to unseat Netanyahu, arguing that he will be better placed to form a...
Israel’s Arabs Poised to Gain New Voice After Tight Election
JERUSALEM — Israel's Arab coalition appears poised to emerge as the main opposition bloc following Tuesday's election, a historic first that would grant a new platform to a long-marginalized minority. With more than 90% of votes counted Wednesday, the Joint List was expected to win about a dozen seats in...
Exit Polls Signal Setback for Israel's Netanyahu in Election
JERUSALEM — In an apparent setback for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the longtime Israeli leader on Tuesday fell short of securing a parliamentary majority with his hard-line allies in national elections, initial exit polls showed, putting his political future in question. Results posted by Israel's three major TV stations indicated...
Israel Heads to Election as Netanyahu Fails to Form Government
JERUSALEM —  Israel's parliament voted to dissolve itself early Thursday, sending the country to an unprecedented second snap election this year as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition before a midnight deadline. The dramatic vote, less than two months after parliamentary elections, marked a dramatic downturn...
Top Rivals Join Forces in Challenge to Israel's Netanyahu
JERUSALEM — The two main challengers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined forces Thursday in a united front ahead of April elections, a dramatic move that upended the campaign and suddenly created the most serious threat to the Israeli leader's decade-long grip on power. Retired military chief Benny Gantz and...
If Netanyahu Exits, Things Could Quickly Get Complicated in Israel
Benjamin Netanyahu has dominated Israeli politics for more than two decades. Soon he could be forced from office due to several police investigations on corruption and influence-peddling. If that happens, it will surely complicate Israeli-American relations. Netanyahu, who adamantly denies any wrongdoing, has survived several police investigations in the past...