Prime Minister Yair Lapid called opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu a short while ago and congratulated him on his election victory. According to Lapid’s office, the prime minister told Netanyahu he has instructed all of the associates to prepare for an orderly transfer of power. “The State of Israel is above any political consideration,” Lapid was quoted as saying. “I wish Netanyahu luck for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel.”

The Central Election Committee finished counting all the votes. Netanyahu’s religious/right-wing bloc receives 64 seats at the Knesset out of 120. The Likud preserves its status as the largest party, with 32 seats. Lapid’s Yesh Atid gets 24 Knesset seats.  

Veteran leftist Meretz Party failed to pass the Knesset-entry threshold of four seats and will remain outside Israel’s parliament. Data released by the Central Election Committee after 99.5% of the votes were counted indicated as such. The party garnered 3.14%, below the required threshold of 3.25%. It lacked less than 4,000 votes.

"This is a very difficult moment for me and for my friends in Meretz. The election results are a disaster for Meretz, a disaster for the country and, yes, also a personal disaster for me," said Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On in a video posted on Twitter.