How Netanyahu was able to close the gap at the polls

JUDY WOODRUFF:

And Martin Seemungal joins us now form Likud Party headquarters in Tel Aviv.

Welcome, Martin.

So, Netanyahu has already tweeted that the Likud Party has won. We know it's not clear yet that that's the case, that they're going to put a government together. But, clearly, he closed the gap. Is it because of this turn to the right?

MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

Absolutely.

And as you can hear from the noise here at Likud headquarters, people are really celebrating the fact that he did close that gap, because going into the election, it looked very much like it was going to be a win for Isaac Herzog by at least four or five seats. Netanyahu, on the other hand, as you say, has closed that gap. He got those votes from the right wing, as you know, in the last days of the election.

He made a very sharp turn to the right, as the campaign drew to a close, yesterday saying that if he becomes prime minister, under the present circumstances, there will be no Palestinian state. He took away votes from the Jewish Home, from Bennett's party. He took votes away from the ultra-nationalist parties even further to the right. And as a result, he has closed that gap and we now have a dead heat.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Martin, it's a little hard to hear you, but we know there's a lot going on there at the headquarters. What is the opposing Zionist camp saying? What are they saying? They have to be disappointed.

MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

Well, they aren't showing their disappointment, if they are.

They're trying to play the positive side, because going into this election, when it was first announced, they only had 13 seats. And according to these exit polls, they're going to end up with 27. They are saying that it's premature for Benjamin Netanyahu to be declaring victory. And, obviously, in the days ahead, they're going to be looking to figure in some kind of coalition government.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Well, tell us about what does happen next. Where does Israeli politics go from here? How do they put this next government together?

MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

Well, that's going to be a real key here.

The president of Israel, who will ultimately ask one of the leaders to form a coalition or try form a coalition, has said in a statement he'd like to see a unity government. Now we're hearing that neither side certainly off the top is going to go for a unity government. Both will do their best to try to form so kind of coalition on their own.

Benjamin Netanyahu is looking towards Moshe Kahlon, his former minister in his cabinet who left his party because he wasn't given the Finance Ministry. They have a bit of a history with him. There's a lot of distrust on Kahlon's part towards Benjamin Netanyahu.

But he's seen as the kingmaker. Also, obviously, Isaac Herzog is going to go after Kahlon. The problem with that is Kahlon is a right-winger. He comes from Likud. He only left Likud years ago. And then he questioned or not he would he take part in a coalition that could include the support of that Arab unity party that did so well today and is now the third largest party.

It will be very interesting to see how this plays out in the days ahead.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

So, in the end, Martin, we know the economy was an issue. Clearly, peace, security was an issue. Is there a sense — do you have a sense of which was more important to voters in the end?

MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

Well, in the end, it has to be said it was the economy, because Benjamin Netanyahu is pushing that security line. Security, you vote for me, you will be safe. Those commercials are running.

He was running commercials saying he was the Bibi-sitter, a play on his name as Bibi Netanyahu, the nickname people use. But, clearly, voters didn't want to talk about security. They wanted to talk about housing prices. They wanted to talk about the high cost of living. And in the end, that's what gave — basically gave Netanyahu a hard time.

And he fought for his political life and made all these statements. That very sharp turn to the right, that really is what many people say saved his skin. If it wasn't for that, we wouldn't have the close race that we have today.

JUDY WOODRUFF:

Martin Seemungal, reporting from a very loud Likud headquarters there in Tel Aviv, we thank you, Martin.