With exit polls pointing to a Likud victory in the Knesset elections, Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted out a simple "thank you" with a heart emoji on Monday night.
Israel went to the polls for the third time in less than a year on Monday, after two earlier rounds of voting left both the right-wing and center-left blocs unable to muster the 61 Knesset members needed to form a government.
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Likud supporters celebrate at party headquarters in Tel Aviv as exit polls are released
(Photo: AFP)
But with Netanyahu's right-wing bloc uniformly predicted to take 60 seats, his prime minister's chair seems secure if not certain. His Likud party is predicted to have won between 35 and 37 seats in the vote while Blue & White is on course to take just 30 and 33 seats.
Just moments after the exit polls were released at 10pm, Netanyahu spoke with the heads of the parties in his right-wing bloc and pledged to immediately start work on forming a government.
Netanyahu's defense minister and Yamina party leader Naftali Bennett called the night a victory for the right and reiterated his commitment to the bloc.
"The right has won, we will make sure that the path of the right also wins," wrote Bennett on Twitter.
"As we promised, we will recommend Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for prime minister. We are committed to the right-wing bloc led by Netanyahu to establish a government that will continue to keep Israeli citizens safe, continue to provide support to IDF soldiers, protect the Land of Israel and the values of the right."
Yamina co-leader Ayelet Shaked also took to Twitter to celebrate the right-wing bloc's apparent victory.
"The religious-Zionist movement enlisted, with its thousands of activists, young and old, to this campaign with great determination. The Israeli democracy is strong and vibrant and the people have decided – a right-wing government with Netanyahu at the helm."
Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich, also of Yamina, celebrated the results and called them a "great achievement."
"This is a great evening for the State of Israel. I thank the thousands of sons and daughters of religious Zionism who took responsibility for the State of Israel and the right-wing bloc, flocked to the polls in droves and brought about a great achievement," Smotrich said. "This great spirit will be translated, with the help of God, into a national government that is good for Israel. Keep going forward with full force!"
Justice Minister Meir Ohana of Likud called the exit polls a "tremendous vote of confidence" in Netanyahu.
"This is a tremendous vote of confidence and a victory that will give Netanyahu the tools to form the next government and continue to do good for the State of Israel," he told the Ynet studio.
Likud minister Miri Regev proclaimed an "overwhelming victory" for Netanyahu's party.
"The nation had its say, a referendum that proved the trust of the people in Netanyahu and in the Likud, with all the indictments and all the attempts to depose Netanyahu," Regev said.
Foreign minister and Likud MK Israel Katz called the results "a huge achievement for Likud and expression of confidence in Netanyahu."
Knesset Speaker and Likud MK Yuli Edelstein wrote, "according to the numbers, it is a great victory for Likud and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The people have spoken – they want Likud. We will form a strong and good government that will work for all Israeli citizens and bring the country back on track."
Yisrael Beytenu Chairman Avigdor Liberman, whose party is predicted to get 6-8 seats, said he is still waiting on the final results before acting.
"Any seat could be critical. We will wait for the final results and only then will a situation assessment be done."
Yisrael Beytenu Knesset faction leader MK Oded Forer said his party will keep striving for a liberal national government.
"We will make sure a government is formed. We will not betray our principles," Forer said. "Our objective is a liberal national government, which is what the majority of the public wants."
Shas chairman Aryeh Deri shared a tweet thanking "hundreds of thousands of Shas voters who put their faith in the movement once again."