Israel’s Netanyahu claims victory in Likud party leadership vote
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has won a vote to stay at the helm of his Likud party.
The win will come as a boost ahead of what will likely be a hard-fought general election in March.
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A Likud tally gave Netanyahu 72.5 per cent of votes in Thursday’s party ballot, versus 27.5 per cent for challenger Gideon Saar.
Saar conceded defeat, tweeting that he would now back the incumbent “for the sake of a Likud victory in the election”.
The challenge by Saar, a former education and interior minister, had added to pressures mounting on Netanyahu this year, who is under indictment and fighting for his political life.
In November, Netanyahu was charged with corruption in three criminal cases, and he has twice failed to form a government after two inconclusive national votes in April and September.
Netanyahu’s centrist rival in those elections, Benny Gantz of the Blue and White party, was also unable to form a coalition government, leading to political deadlock and an unprecedented third election on 2 March.
Netanyahu has cast the legal case against him as a political witch-hunt orchestrated by the media and an Israeli left hoping to oust him.
Though the troubles of “King Bibi”, as he is nicknamed by his fans, do not seem to have dented the loyalty Netanyahu commands among his supporters, some Likud members have said it is time for fresh leadership.
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Netanyahu had played down Saar’s challenge, talking up his own security credentials and international prowess.
Thanking supporters for the “huge” Likud leadership victory, Netanyahu tweeted that he would “continue leading the State of Israel to unprecedented achievements”.