Bibi be back! Scores 'great victory' in Israeli election

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, whose recent speech to the U.S. Congress condemning an impending nuclear agreement with Iran infuriated the Obama administration, swept to a decisive victory in Israel’s parliamentary elections, paving the way for him to serve a record-breaking fourth term.

"Against all odds," he said in a Twitter message, his party won a "great victory."

With the majority of votes counted, Likud won 30 of the 120 seats in the country's Knesset, or parliament. The center-left opposition Zionist Union party led by Isaac Herzog won 24 seats. Israel's Election Committee is expected to confirm the results Thursday.

"Against all odds, a great victory for the Likud, for the nationalist camp led by the Likud, and for the people of Israel," Netanyahu said.

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The election was widely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, who has governed the country for the past six years. Recent 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.

Netanyahu is now in a position to easily form a coalition government with nationalist and ultra-Orthodox Jewish allies. He reportedly had spoken with the heads of five other parties, including Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett, Shas chief Arye Deri and Moshe Gafni of United Torah Judaism. 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."

"The reality isn't waiting on us," Netanyahu said in a statement. "Reality isn't taking a break. The citizens of Israel expect us to quickly put together a leadership that will work for the sake of the country's security, economy, and society as we promised to do, and that is what I will do."

Netanyahu and Likud overcame a strong challenge from his main opponent, Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog.

Herzog conceded the election in a telephone call to Netanyahu Wednesday morning.

"I wished him luck, but let it be clear, the problems are the same problems, nothing has changed," said Herzog, who attempted to make economic and social issues the focus of the campaign in contrast to Netanyahu's focus on security. Herzog also vowed that his party would serve as "an alternative in every area" to Likud.