Mar 18, 2015

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ruling Likud Party scored a resounding victory in the country’s election, final results showed Wednesday, a stunning turnaround after a tight race that had put his lengthy rule in jeopardy.

With nearly all votes counted, Likud appeared to have earned 30 out of parliament’s 120 seats and was in a position to build with relative ease a coalition government with its nationalist, religious and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies. Such a government would likely put Israel at odds with the international community over settlement construction and its opposition to Palestinian statehood, and continue clashing with the White House over hard-line policies.

: Ayman Odeh, left, chairman of the newly formed Joint List of Arab parties, embraces a supporter at a polling place in Nazareth on Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Arab citizens of Israel voted in record numbers Tuesday to propel the Joint List to the third-largest party in Knesset, Israel’s parliament. (Daniella Cheslow/McClatchy/TNS)

: A child in Nazareth holds the election ticket for the newly formed Joint List that unified four Arab parties into one. Arab citizens of Israel voted in record numbers Tuesday, March 17, 2015, to propel the Joint List to the third-largest party in Knesset, Israel’s parliament. (Daniella Cheslow/McClatchy/TNS)

: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Likud party supporters react to exit poll results at the party’s election headquarters In Tel Aviv.Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in early parliament elections following a campaign focused on economic issues such as the high cost of living, rather than fears of a nuclear Iran or the Israeli-Arab conflict. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

: Supporters of Moshe Kahlon’s party, Kulanu, celebrate after the exit polls were announced on Israeli TV, in the city of Tel Aviv, Tuesday, Mar. 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in early parliament elections following a campaign focused on economic issues such as the high cost of living, rather than fears of a nuclear Iran or the Israeli-Arab conflict. (AP Photo/Tsafrir Abayov)

: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Likud party supporters react to exit poll results at the party’s election headquarters In Tel Aviv.Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in early parliament elections following a campaign focused on economic issues such as the high cost of living, rather than fears of a nuclear Iran or the Israeli-Arab conflict. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

: Israeli woman Rachel Yankovich Roe, casts her vote inside a polling station, in Netanya, Israel, Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in early parliament elections following a campaign focused on economic issues such as the high cost of living, rather than fears of a nuclear Iran or the Israeli-Arab conflict. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)

: An Israeli bride prepares to cast her vote at a polling station in Holon, Israel, Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in early parliament elections following a campaign focused on economic issues such as the high cost of living, rather than fears of a nuclear Iran or the Israeli-Arab conflict. (AP Photo)

: Zionist Union party supporters cheer at the party’s election headquarters In Tel Aviv.Tuesday, March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in early parliament elections following a campaign focused on economic issues such as the high cost of living, rather than fears of a nuclear Iran or the Israeli-Arab conflict. (AP Photo/Dan Balilty)

: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu places a note, on March 18, 2015, at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem following his party Likud’s victory in Israel’s general election. Netanyahu swept to a stunning election victory, securing a third straight term for an Israeli leader who has deepened tensions with the Palestinians and infuriated key ally Washington. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Nenyahu prays on March 18, 2015 at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem following his party Likud’s victory in Israel’s general election. Netanyahu swept to a stunning election victory, securing a third straight term for an Israeli leader who has deepened tensions with the Palestinians and infuriated key ally Washington. (Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images)

: Copies of ballots papers and campaign posters for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party lie on the ground in the aftermath of the country’s parliamentary elections, early on March 18, 2015 in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu beat the odds to win a resounding election victory that will likely deepen tensions with the Palestinians and the West. (Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images)

: Copies of ballots papers and campaign posters for Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party lie on the ground in the aftermath of the country’s parliamentary elections, early on March 18, 2015 in Tel Aviv. Netanyahu beat the odds to win a resounding election victory that will likely deepen tensions with the Palestinians and the West. (Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images)

: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu kisses his wife Sara after exit poll figures in Israel’s parliamentary elections late on March 17, 2015 in the city of Tel Aviv. Netanyahu claimed victory in elections as exit polls put him neck-and-neck with centre-left rivals after a late fightback in his bid for a third straight term. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)

: Israeli Likud Party supporters react to the exit polls while they wait for the announcement of the first official results of Israel’s parliamentary elections on March 17, 2015 at the party’s headquarters in the city of Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing Likud party is neck-and-neck with the centre-left Zionist Union in the general election, exit polls said. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)

: Israeli Likud Party supporters react to the exit polls while they wait for the announcement of the first official results of Israel’s parliamentary elections on March 17, 2015 at the party’s headquarters in the city of Tel Aviv. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s rightwing Likud party is neck-and-neck with the centre-left Zionist Union in the general election, exit polls said. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)

: An Arab Israeli man casts his ballot at a polling station in the northern Israeli town of Umm al-Fahm on March 17, 2015. Voting polls opened for unpredictable elections to determine whether Israelis still want incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as leader, or will seek change after six years. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images)

: An Arab Israeli woman prepares to cast her ballot at a polling station in the northern Israeli town of Umm al-Fahm on March 17, 2015. Voting polls opened for unpredictable elections to determine whether Israelis still want incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as leader, or will seek change after six years. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images)

: An Arab Israeli man casts his ballot at a polling station in the northern Israeli town of Umm al-Fahm on March 17, 2015. Voting polls opened for unpredictable elections to determine whether Israelis still want incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as leader, or will seek change after six years. (Ahmad Gharabli/AFP/Getty Images)

: A Palestinian man is detained by members of the Israeli security forces during clashes following a march attended by Palestinian, Israeli and foreign demonstrators, to send a message to Israeli politicians as people vote in the general elections, against what the Palestinians say is land confiscation by Israel for the building of Jewish settlements, near the West Bank town of Abu Dis on March 17, 2015. (Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)

: A Palestinian man is detained by members of the Israeli security forces during clashes following a march attended by Palestinian, Israeli and foreign demonstrators, to send a message to Israeli politicians as people vote in the general elections, against what the Palestinians say is land confiscation by Israel for the building of Jewish settlements, near the West Bank town of Abu Dis on March 17, 2015. (Abbas Momani/AFP/Getty Images)

: An Israeli ultra-orthodox Jewish man casts his ballot with his children at a polling station in Jerusalem on March 17, 2015. Israelis are voting in a close-fought election pitting the centre left against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who ruled out a Palestinian state in a last-ditch appeal to the far-right. (Menahem Kahana/AFP/Getty Images)

: A supporter of Israeli politician, a popular former Likud minister and head the Kulanu party, Moshe Kahlon (portrait) distributes campaign material as Kahlon visits the Israeli city of Hadera on March 13, 2015, ahead of the March 17 general elections. (Gil Cohen-Magen/AFP/Getty Images)

: Supporters of the Zionist Union party react to preliminary election results on March 17, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The preliminary announcement of the Israeli elections brings the leading party of Benjamin Netanyahu and Zionist Union to a tie. (Photo by Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images)

: Supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrate as election results come in at his election campaign headquarters on March 17, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel. After the ballot boxes were closed at 10 P.M. Tuesday, exit polls showed the two main contenders, Netanyahu of Likud and Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Union party, were neck and neck with 27 Knesset seats each, with a slight lead for Likud. Netanyahu announces a ‘great victory’. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

: Supporters of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu celebrate as election results come in at his election campaign headquarters on March 17, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel. After the ballot boxes were closed at 10 P.M. Tuesday, exit polls showed the two main contenders, Netanyahu of Likud and Isaac Herzog of the Zionist Union party, were neck and neck with 27 Knesset seats each, with a slight lead for Likud. Netanyahu announces a ‘great victory’. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

: Supporters of the Zionist Union party react to preliminary election results on March 17, 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel. The preliminary announcement of the Israeli elections brings the leading party of Benjamin Netanyahu and Zionist Union to a tie. (Photo by Ilia Yefimovich/Getty Images)

: Israeli children ride bicycles past a billboard of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on election day on March 17, 2015 in Ramat Gan, Israel. Israel’s general election voting has begun today as polls show on that Chairman of the Zionist Union party, Isaac Herzog stands as the only rival to current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

: An Orthodox Jewish man casts his ballot at a polling station on election day on March 17, 2015 in Kiryat Ye’arim, Israel. Israel’s general election voting has begun today as polls show on that Chairman of the Zionist Union party, Isaac Herzog stands as the only rival to current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Photo by Lior Mizrahi/Getty Images)

The election was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has governed the country for the past six years. Recent opinion polls indicated he was in trouble, giving chief rival Isaac Herzog of the opposition Zionist Union a slight lead. Exit polls Tuesday showed the two sides deadlocked but once the actual results came pouring in early Wednesday, Likud soared forward. Zionist Union wound up with just 24 seats.

Given the final results, it is all but assured that Israel’s largely ceremonial President Reuven Rivlin will task Netanyahu with forming a new government. Netanyahu says he hopes to do so quickly, within two to three weeks.

Netanyahu’s Likud Party and supporters celebrates stunning Israeli election win

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