TEL AVIV (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th September, 2019) Israel's former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman, the leader of the nationalist secular Yisrael Beiteinu party, believes that a wide coalition of his party, opposition centrist Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) alliance and the incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party is the only option to form the government.
On Tuesday, Israel held the snap general election to its 120-seat unicameral parliament, the Knesset. Exit polls showed no clear winner at the ballot. According to exit polls, Blue and White alliance led by Benny Gantz can count on 32-34 seats, while Likud can gain 31-33 seats. Yisrael Beiteinu may receive 8-10 seats in the parliament.
Without Lieberman's support, a potential right-wing coalition led by Likud could control up to 57 seats, while an opposition coalition led by Blue and White could gain no more than 58 seats. It means that both leading political forces are falling short of the 61 seats needed for a governing majority. Thus, Lieberman was called by Israeli media a possible kingmaker in this parliamentary election.
"There is only one option � a broad government comprising Yisrael Beiteinu, Likud and Kahol Lavan," Lieberman said after exit polls were published.
Since no party in the history of Israel alone had an absolute parliamentary majority, the election victory depends not only on its own electoral weight, but also on the presence of allies ready to join the coalition or provide extra-coalition support.
