Netanyahu’s Likud Wins Extra Knesset Seat in Latest Tally

The Times of Israel reports: The Central Election Committee amended its vote tally early Wednesday, awarding Likud an extra seat at the expense of the ultra-Orthodox United Torah Judaism party following last week’s election.

The committee said the new results came after an investigation which found several instances of apparent election fraud.
The change gives Likud 32 seats, while UTJ drops from eight seats to seven. Despite the extra seat, Likud remains a seat behind Blue and White, and the new tally does not shift the balance of power between the rival blocs headed by Likud’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White challenger Benny Gantz.

Netanyahu has been endorsed as preferred prime minister by 55 MKs, including from his own party and UTJ, which signed a pact together with Shas and Yamina agreeing to enter coalition negotiations as a bloc. Gantz has the backing of 54 MKs, including from his own party, center-left allies, and much of the Joint List.