Israel Election Update: No Clear Winner In Second Election In Five Months. Third Time The Charm?

Israeli voters apparently failed for the second time in five months to hand Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a clear victory in Tuesday’s balloting with exit polls indicating his right-wing Likud party and its allies shy of the 61 seats needed to capture a majority in the 120-member Knesset.

Netanyahu called the election because he was unable to form a government following April’s voting.

Final results were not expected until Wednesday afternoon. Should they prove inconclusive, President Reuven Rivlin gets to decide who should form a government.

The exit polls indicate Likud’s center-right bloc captured 54 seats while the center-left won 58. That means neither side has an outright majority, raising the specter of yet another round of voting. Neither Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, nor opposition Blue and White party leader Benny Gantz delivered a victory speech.

“I cannot say that we are satisfied with he exit poll results,” Likud Knesset Member Miki Zohar told YNet. “What we are seeing now is that there is no clear win for the left or the right.”

Blue and White Knesset Member Hili Tropper said the results showed Netanyahu has failed in two straight elections to win a clear majority.

But Likud ministers Miri Regev, Haim Katz and Amir Ohana said there’s no move to replace Netanyahu as head of the party despite the setback.

“I don’t see Gantz being able to form a government, either, so it’ll either be Netanyahu or a third election,” Likud Knessed Member Yoav Kisch said.

Voter turnout was higher than in April’s elections, 63.7% versus 61.3% as of 8 p.m. Turnout among Arab voters was less than 50% with many boycotting despite Netanyahu’s promise to annex most of the West Bank should he win.

The results could make Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman the kingmaker. Though Lieberman is a right-wing politician, he has feuded openly with Netanyahu. Yisrael Beiteinu captured eight to 10 seats.

Lieberman has said he wants a unity government with Likud and Blue and White sharing power. Netanyahu has rejected that proposal.

Netanyahu is facing possible indictment on fraud, bribery and other charges. The charges stem from three cases in which he allegedly agreed to political favors in exchange for gifts or favorable media coverage.