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Benjamin Netanyahu Tag

After Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rivals dragged Israelis through four general elections in two years, the final result of the March 23 vote has ended in yet another deadlock. As the Israeli election authority releases the final tally, Netanyahu appears to have fallen short of the 61-seat majority needed to form the government.

Amid an escalating armed conflict in northern Ethiopia, Israel has kick started an operation aimed at airlifting around 2000 Ethiopian Jews from the country. The first flight of this mission arrived on Thursday carrying 319 members of Ethiopia's Jewish community. They were greeted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and leading members of his government at Ben Gurion airport.

The last time we checked in on the dysfunctional Israel elections, it looked like Bibi Netanyahu's Likud Party had won a sweeping election -- the third in a year -- which would allow it to put together a right-wing coalition government. BUT WAIT, then the exit polls were off and the actual results still had Likud in the lead, but without the ability to put together a ruling coalition. A majority of Knesset members said they would back Blue-and-White challenger for Prime Minister Benny Gantz, leading Israel's President to give Gantz the 'mandate' to form a government....

The magician pulls another rabbit out of his hat. The last we checked, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu fell just short in his effort to build a ruling coalition after the third election in a year ended in stalemate again. Rival Benny Gantz' Blue and White coalition was given the nod to try to form a government, but as we reported, that was unlikely, Bye-Bye Bibi, hello Prime Minister Benny Gantz? (maybe, maybe not):

Last time we checked, the dysfunctional Israeli political system had just completed its third attempt in a year to elect a Prime Minister. Based on the exit polls, it appeared that Bibi Netanyahu would be the next Prime Minster, with his Likud Party and other religious and right-wing parties obtaining a majority.