Supporters of the Blue and White (Kahol Lavan) political alliance celebrate after Benny Gantz claiming the victory in Tel Aviv, Israel, on April 9, 2019. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger, Benny Gantz, were tied in the parliamentary elections on Wednesday morning after 97.4 percent of the votes were counted, official figures by Israeli Central Election Committee showed. Both Netanyahu's Likud and Gantz's centrist party of Blue and White had 35 seats in the 120-seat parliament, or the Knesset, according to the figures. However, both contestants claimed victory. (Xinhua/Gil Cohen Magen)
JERUSALEM, April 10 (Xinhua) -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his main challenger, Benny Gantz, were tied in the parliamentary elections on Wednesday morning after 97.4 percent of the votes were counted, official figures by Israeli Central Election Committee showed.
Both Netanyahu's Likud and Gantz's centrist party of Blue and White had 35 seats in the 120-seat parliament, or the Knesset, according to the figures.
Overall, the right-wing bloc won 65 seats and the center-left bloc lagged behind with 55 seats, indicating the long-serving right-wing leader was on course for forming the next coalition government.
The right-wing bloc includes the ultra-Orthodox parties of Shas and the United Torah Judaism, each with eight seats; the far-right parties of the United Right and Israel Our Home, each with five seats; and the party of Kulanu with four seats.
The center-left bloc includes the Arab parties of Hadash-Ta'al with six seats and Ra'am-Balad with four seats, the Labor party with six seats, and Meretz with four seats.
However, both contestants claimed victory.
"This is a night of an incredible victory," Netanyahu told his supporters in the Likud's campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv, as the crowd chanted "Bibi (Netanyahu) King of Israel!"
He thanked his voters for putting their trust in him and vowed that the "right-wing bloc led by me will continue to lead Israel for the next four years and bring Israel to greater heights."
His rival, Gantz, 59, claimed that "we are the victors."
As Israel's former chief of forces, Gantz formed the Blue and White party only some two months ago.
"We want to thank Benjamin Netanyahu for his service to the nation," he said, promising he will serve as a "prime minister of everyone, not only for the people who voted for me."
Netanyahu, 69, has served four terms as Israel's prime minister. If he forms the next government, he would become the longest-serving prime minister in the history of Israel, beating even the founder of the nation, David Ben Gurion.
Given that he is facing corruption allegations, he might not serve for long, even if he could build a governing coalition with at least 61 members, as needed under the Israeli system.
Israel's Attorney General Avichai-Mandelblit has announced his intention to indict Netanyahu for bribery and breach of trust in three separate cases, pending a hearing.
The hearing is expected to be held before July 10, according to a ministry statement.
