Israel's outgoing premier Lapid concedes defeat to Netanyahu

ANKARA

Israel's outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid conceded defeat to opposition leader and former premier Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday for his bloc's success in the parliamentary elections held earlier this week, according to local media.

The daily Jerusalem Post reported that Lapid called his presumed successor to congratulate him after his right-wing Likud party winning 32 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, Israel's parliament, in the elections on Tuesday.

"The State of Israel is above all political considerations. I wish Netanyahu success for the sake of the people of Israel and the State of Israel," the newspaper quoted Lapid as saying.

Lapid reportedly instructed the Prime Minister's Office to prepare for an orderly transfer of power.

Results cited by the Times of Israel newspaper showed that Netanyahu's allies, the far-right Religious Zionism Party got 14 seats, while the Shas Party won 11 seats and the United Torah Judaism party eight seats. In all, his bloc now holds 65 seats.

The election results give Netanyahu, who was prime minister until being unseated in 2021, an outright majority in the Knesset to form a stable government.

Tuesday's elections were the fifth in less than four years and witnessed a voter turnout rate of 71.3%, the highest in 20 years.

Lapid's party Yeah Atid (There is a Future) won 24 seats, with the 95.2% of the votes having been counted.