Israeli elections' results show political deadlock: committee

Israel's two main political blocs were in a deadlock after 95 percent of the votes in the national elections have been counted on Wednesday night, the Israeli Central Elections Committee said.

This combination picture created on September 18, 2019 shows, Benny Gantz (R), leader and candidate of the Israel Resilience party that is part of the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) political alliance, waving to supporters in Tel Aviv early on September 18, 2019, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addressing supporters at his Likud party's electoral campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv early on September 18, 2019. [File photo: AFP/Emmanuel Dunand, Menahem Kahana]

The committee said that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger, Benny Gantz and his centrist Blue and White party, won 33 seats in the 120-seat parliament. Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party secured 32 seats.

Both Gantz's and Netanyahu's political blocs were in a deadlock with 56 seats.

Avigdor Lieberman, Israel's emerging kingmaker and leader of the far-right Israel Our Home party, won eight seats, the committee said.

Lieberman reiterated on Wednesday his call for a unity government that will include his own party, Blue and White, and Likud.

"The only option is a wide and liberal coalition," he said, adding that he will not be a part in any other coalition.

A governing coalition in Israel needs at least 61 members, but both Gantz and Netanyahu failed to gain enough seats to form a coalition without Lieberman's middle-sized party.

Earlier on Wednesday, Netanyahu said that he intends to build a right-wing coalition, despite that his bloc had failed to gain the required number of seats.

In a meeting of his Likud party in Jerusalem, Netanyahu said that he opposes any government without his leadership.

Netanyahu added that he will do everything possible to prevent "a government that will lean on anti-Zionist Arab parties," charging that such a government would be "dangerous" for Israel.

Israelis cast ballots on Tuesday for the second time in five months after Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition and called for the snap elections.

The deadlock opens the door for a long period of coalition negotiations.