The Times of Israel is liveblogging Israel’s election day and other Monday events as they happen.
Just 6.5% of vote counted by 3 a.m.; Likud firmly ahead
Just 6.5% of the ballots have been counted by 3 a.m.
The current figures give Netanyahu’s Likud a strong lead, picking up 32% of the vote compared to 23% for Blue and White.
China reports 125 new virus cases, lowest number in six weeks
BEIJING, China — China reports 125 new virus cases today, marking the lowest number of new daily infections in six weeks.
There were also 31 more deaths, the National Health Commission reports — all in Hubei province, the epicenter of the outbreak, raising the nationwide toll to 2,943.
The disease first emerged in December in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei, before spreading to more than 60 countries. The number of cases in China has been generally declining after significant quarantine efforts, although the 11 new infections reported on Tuesday outside Hubei was the highest in five days.
In total, more than 80,000 people have been infected by the new coronavirus in mainland China.
Worldwide, close to 3,100 people have died of the illness.
Netanyahu vows to fulfill annexation, Iran, economy promises
Amid the applause, Netanyahu is interrupted at one point by some shouts from the crowd of “Mandelblit go home,” a reference to the attorney general, who has indicted him in three graft cases. But in the speech itself, Netanyahu makes no mention of his legal difficulties.
Netanyahu lists a whole host of campaign promises, and vows, “We’re going to do it…and only we can do it.”
He mentions the promise to apply sovereignty to parts of the West Bank, a “historic alliance” with the United States, peace with more Arab and Muslim nations, massive investment in education and “removing the Iranian threat.”
“We have developed connections that we never had with world leaders,” he says. “That includes many, many leaders, so many you can’t imagine, in the Arab and Muslim worlds. You saw Oman, Sudan, Chad, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan — and I’m telling you that’s the tip of the iceberg. When I say we will get a peace agreement with more Arab and Muslim countries, I’m not talking out of thin air.
“And only we can do it.”
He thanks his wife, noting that they are marking their 29th wedding anniversary.
He promises to secure Israel’s well-being “for generations.”
Netanyahu boasts of successful campaign ‘against all the odds’
Netanyahu: “We have new Members of Knesset. Welcome. We have expanded the Likud [Knesset] roster.”
He thanks the staff involved in the party’s new big-data operation with the Elector app.
“Suddenly Likud had data, look what a difference it made!”
And he insists the victory is his sweetest yet, because it came “against all the odds.”
“We have marched together many years. I remember our first victory in ’96, a historic victory. But this victory, this time, is bigger and sweeter still, because it’s a victory against all odds. We stood against vast forces, they already eulogized us. Our opponents said, ‘the Netanyahu era is over.’ But together we flipped the story. We turned lemons to lemonade.
“We traveled the country, north and south; what amazing fun to visit these gatherings. We met you, our citizens. Some of you, we had to convince, most were already convinced. Those we convinced were inspired by the truth. They gave us their trust. You know why? Because they know we brought the best decade in Israel’s history, in security, in the economy, in transportation, in education. We have turned Israel into a superpower.”
Netanyahu hails ‘gigantic victory’
Netanyahu to Likud activists:
“We love you and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This night is a gigantic victory.”
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