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| Deep Wounds for Netanyahu in Israel’s Bitter Race | Deep Wounds for Netanyahu in Israel’s Bitter Race |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| JERUSALEM — Benjamin Netanyahu was poised to return to power. But there was a cloud over his apparent turnaround, the result of an increasingly shrill campaign that raised questions about his ability to heal Israel’s internal wounds or better its standing in the world. | |
| He said there would be no Palestinian state under his watch. | He said there would be no Palestinian state under his watch. |
| He railed against Israeli Arabs — because they had gone out to vote. | He railed against Israeli Arabs — because they had gone out to vote. |
| From the capitals of Europe, to Washington, to the West Bank, to the streets of Israel, even while his critics said Mr. Netanyahu had reaffirmed his reputation as a cynical, calculating politician, it appeared that his approach succeeded in drawing votes from other right-leaning parties. | From the capitals of Europe, to Washington, to the West Bank, to the streets of Israel, even while his critics said Mr. Netanyahu had reaffirmed his reputation as a cynical, calculating politician, it appeared that his approach succeeded in drawing votes from other right-leaning parties. |
| But along the way he angered the president of the United States with a speech to Congress and infuriated European leaders eager to see the peace process move ahead to create a Palestinian state. | But along the way he angered the president of the United States with a speech to Congress and infuriated European leaders eager to see the peace process move ahead to create a Palestinian state. |
| David Axelrod, President Obama’s former senior adviser, said Tuesday evening on Twitter that Mr. Netanyahu’s last-minute stand against a Palestinian state might have helped ensure him another victory. “Tightness of exits in Israel suggests Bibi’s shameful 11th-hour demagoguery may have swayed enough votes to save him. But at what cost?” he wrote. | David Axelrod, President Obama’s former senior adviser, said Tuesday evening on Twitter that Mr. Netanyahu’s last-minute stand against a Palestinian state might have helped ensure him another victory. “Tightness of exits in Israel suggests Bibi’s shameful 11th-hour demagoguery may have swayed enough votes to save him. But at what cost?” he wrote. |
| Still, Mr. Netanyahu has a long history in power and has in the past demonstrated that he can change positions from campaigning to governing. His record is as a pragmatist, analysts said. | Still, Mr. Netanyahu has a long history in power and has in the past demonstrated that he can change positions from campaigning to governing. His record is as a pragmatist, analysts said. |
| “I am sure that Netanyahu, with his broad historical perspective, if he is prime minister again, will be thinking long and hard about what legacy he will want to leave behind with regard to the demographic makeup of the country and its standing in the world,” said Gidi Grinstein, founder of the Reut Institute, an Israeli strategy group. “In the end I would not rule out his going back to the two-state solution,” he said, referring to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. | “I am sure that Netanyahu, with his broad historical perspective, if he is prime minister again, will be thinking long and hard about what legacy he will want to leave behind with regard to the demographic makeup of the country and its standing in the world,” said Gidi Grinstein, founder of the Reut Institute, an Israeli strategy group. “In the end I would not rule out his going back to the two-state solution,” he said, referring to the establishment of a Palestinian state alongside Israel. |
| Tzachi Hanegbi, a Likud deputy foreign minister in the departing government, told reporters on Tuesday night that he expected the American administration to make an effort to renew the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. “We would be very delighted to renew the negotiations,” Mr. Hanegbi said, adding that it was up to the Palestinians. “It is to the benefit of both peoples,” he said. | Tzachi Hanegbi, a Likud deputy foreign minister in the departing government, told reporters on Tuesday night that he expected the American administration to make an effort to renew the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. “We would be very delighted to renew the negotiations,” Mr. Hanegbi said, adding that it was up to the Palestinians. “It is to the benefit of both peoples,” he said. |
| The campaign for the Parliament was divisive, exposing the fault lines in Israeli society, between the religious and the secular, the left and the right. It exposed a fatigue with a man who is seeking to serve a fourth term as prime minister, and a fear over Israel’s place in the international community. Much was driven by the tenor of the campaigns, which became personal and bitter. | The campaign for the Parliament was divisive, exposing the fault lines in Israeli society, between the religious and the secular, the left and the right. It exposed a fatigue with a man who is seeking to serve a fourth term as prime minister, and a fear over Israel’s place in the international community. Much was driven by the tenor of the campaigns, which became personal and bitter. |
| None more so that Mr. Netanyahu’s campaign. | None more so that Mr. Netanyahu’s campaign. |
| Many Israelis called it the “gevalt campaign,” using a Yiddish expression for alarm. In the final days of a closely fought election race, Mr. Netanyahu threw all political and diplomatic niceties to the wind. | Many Israelis called it the “gevalt campaign,” using a Yiddish expression for alarm. In the final days of a closely fought election race, Mr. Netanyahu threw all political and diplomatic niceties to the wind. |
| He said that if his Likud Party won Tuesday’s national elections, he would never allow the creation of a Palestinian state, a reversal of a stance he had taken six years earlier. That risked further damaging his already frayed relations with the Obama administration after a confrontation over Iran and increasing European frustration with Israel. | He said that if his Likud Party won Tuesday’s national elections, he would never allow the creation of a Palestinian state, a reversal of a stance he had taken six years earlier. That risked further damaging his already frayed relations with the Obama administration after a confrontation over Iran and increasing European frustration with Israel. |
| Mr. Netanyahu’s conflict with the White House became a campaign issue, with critics saying that it alone undermined Israel’s security. Washington is Israel’s most important ally, providing crucial financial and diplomatic support. | Mr. Netanyahu’s conflict with the White House became a campaign issue, with critics saying that it alone undermined Israel’s security. Washington is Israel’s most important ally, providing crucial financial and diplomatic support. |
| In interviews with the Israeli news media that Mr. Netanyahu usually shuns, he complained of a conspiracy of left-wing organizations funded from abroad and foreign governments out to topple him. | In interviews with the Israeli news media that Mr. Netanyahu usually shuns, he complained of a conspiracy of left-wing organizations funded from abroad and foreign governments out to topple him. |
| And in a seemingly desperate bid to rally support halfway through the balloting, he went on a tirade against Israel’s Arab citizens. | And in a seemingly desperate bid to rally support halfway through the balloting, he went on a tirade against Israel’s Arab citizens. |
| “Right-wing rule is in danger,” he said. “Arab voters are streaming in huge quantities to the polling stations.” | “Right-wing rule is in danger,” he said. “Arab voters are streaming in huge quantities to the polling stations.” |
| He said they were being bused to polling stations in droves by left-wing organizations in an effort that “distorts the true will of the Israelis in favor of the left, and grants excessive power to the radical Arab list,” referring to the new alliance of Arab parties. Opponents accused him of baldfaced racism. | He said they were being bused to polling stations in droves by left-wing organizations in an effort that “distorts the true will of the Israelis in favor of the left, and grants excessive power to the radical Arab list,” referring to the new alliance of Arab parties. Opponents accused him of baldfaced racism. |
| “More than a gevalt campaign it was a ‘Let’s blow up the world’ campaign,” said Gadi Wolfsfeld, a professor of political communications at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. “It was a scorched-earth policy to stay in power.” | “More than a gevalt campaign it was a ‘Let’s blow up the world’ campaign,” said Gadi Wolfsfeld, a professor of political communications at the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya, Israel. “It was a scorched-earth policy to stay in power.” |
| In Washington, lawmakers who were angered by Mr. Netanyahu’s speech to Congress said they would be disappointed if voters in Israel rewarded the prime minister with another term in office. | In Washington, lawmakers who were angered by Mr. Netanyahu’s speech to Congress said they would be disappointed if voters in Israel rewarded the prime minister with another term in office. |
| ”There were a number of us who wanted to see whether his gambit to criticize the president, in breach of all diplomatic protocol, will be rewarded in Israel,” said Representative Gerald E. Connolly, Democrat of Virginia. | ”There were a number of us who wanted to see whether his gambit to criticize the president, in breach of all diplomatic protocol, will be rewarded in Israel,” said Representative Gerald E. Connolly, Democrat of Virginia. |
| Mr. Connolly, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is a relatively junior member of Congress, and Mr. Netanyahu retained support within Congress, especially in the Republican majority. But Mr. Connolly’s views echoed those of many Democratic lawmakers who have expressed dismay about what they said were Mr. Netanyahu’s efforts to ally himself with Republicans in America. | Mr. Connolly, a member of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is a relatively junior member of Congress, and Mr. Netanyahu retained support within Congress, especially in the Republican majority. But Mr. Connolly’s views echoed those of many Democratic lawmakers who have expressed dismay about what they said were Mr. Netanyahu’s efforts to ally himself with Republicans in America. |
| ”As far as I’m concerned, Netanyahu burned his bridges with the American government and a broad swath of the American people,” Mr. Connolly said. “It is to me, frankly, a really sordid approach to diplomacy and friendship and alliance. I hope that behavior is not rewarded today.” | ”As far as I’m concerned, Netanyahu burned his bridges with the American government and a broad swath of the American people,” Mr. Connolly said. “It is to me, frankly, a really sordid approach to diplomacy and friendship and alliance. I hope that behavior is not rewarded today.” |
| Martin S. Indyk, a former special envoy for Middle East peace in the Obama administration who is now vice president of the Brookings Institution, said that while it was still unclear what kind of government might arise in Israel, the tenor of Mr. Netanyahu’s relationship with the Obama administration was likely to be governed by a confrontation over Iran in the short term, should a nuclear deal be reached. In the longer term, Mr. Indyk said, a right-wing government led by Mr. Netanyahu was likely to be in confrontation with the international community over the Palestinian issue. | Martin S. Indyk, a former special envoy for Middle East peace in the Obama administration who is now vice president of the Brookings Institution, said that while it was still unclear what kind of government might arise in Israel, the tenor of Mr. Netanyahu’s relationship with the Obama administration was likely to be governed by a confrontation over Iran in the short term, should a nuclear deal be reached. In the longer term, Mr. Indyk said, a right-wing government led by Mr. Netanyahu was likely to be in confrontation with the international community over the Palestinian issue. |
| But Shmuel Sandler, a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, said Mr. Netanyahu had been fighting for his political survival. “Yesterday he was prepared to do anything,” he said. But he added that Mr. Netanyahu knew he now had to repair his relationship with Mr. Obama. | But Shmuel Sandler, a professor of political science at Bar-Ilan University near Tel Aviv, said Mr. Netanyahu had been fighting for his political survival. “Yesterday he was prepared to do anything,” he said. But he added that Mr. Netanyahu knew he now had to repair his relationship with Mr. Obama. |
| At the headquarters of the Joint List of Arab parties in Nazareth, in northern Israel, people hooted and cheered as the election results came in. | At the headquarters of the Joint List of Arab parties in Nazareth, in northern Israel, people hooted and cheered as the election results came in. |
| “This is a great achievement,” hollered Ahmad Tibi, a veteran Arab politician, referring to indications that the list had won about a dozen seats in the 120-seat Parliament. “But we will have before us great challenges,” he added. “We will fight racism, we will fight fascism, we will defend our rights, regardless of the government. We are the indigenous people of this land and we look to the future with the optimism and realism,” he said. “Today we are stronger.” | “This is a great achievement,” hollered Ahmad Tibi, a veteran Arab politician, referring to indications that the list had won about a dozen seats in the 120-seat Parliament. “But we will have before us great challenges,” he added. “We will fight racism, we will fight fascism, we will defend our rights, regardless of the government. We are the indigenous people of this land and we look to the future with the optimism and realism,” he said. “Today we are stronger.” |
| By the night’s end, Mr. Netanyahu seemed to realize he needed to recalibrate his message. In a late-night speech claiming victory, he spoke of delivering security and social welfare to “all citizens of Israel, Jews and non-Jews alike.” | By the night’s end, Mr. Netanyahu seemed to realize he needed to recalibrate his message. In a late-night speech claiming victory, he spoke of delivering security and social welfare to “all citizens of Israel, Jews and non-Jews alike.” |