JERUSALEM: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long grip on power appeared in jeopardy on Wednesday after elections left him tied with his main challenger Benny Gantz raising the prospect of tough negotiations to build a unity government or even the end of the premier’s long rule.

Signs of how demanding negotiations were likely to be came in the evening when sources in Netanyahu’s office said he was cancelling a planned trip next week to the United Nations General Assembly due to the “political context” in Israel.

He had been due to meet his “friend” US President Donald Trump on the fringes of the assembly to discuss a defence treaty between the two allies.

But Israel’s longest-serving premier is staying home as he battles to retain his grip on power.

According to Israeli media, with more than 90 percent of ballots counted, Netanyahu’s right-wing Likud had 31 seats, while Gantz’s Blue and White took 32 places in Israel’s 120-member parliament.

The reports cited elections committee sources, as the data results had not yet been officially posted.

Gantz’s slim lead, however, gave no obvious path for either party to form a majority coalition, raising the possibility of negotiations towards a unity government.

“There are only two options, a government led by me or a dangerous government dependent on the Arab parties,” Netanyahu told a press conference in Jerusalem on Wednesday night.

“In these times, more than ever, when we face enormous security and political challenges, it cannot be that there will be a government that depends on anti-Zionist Arab parties,” he said.

“Every effort must be made to prevent such a dangerous government.” Throughout his campaign, Netanyahu war­ned, as he has in previous elections, that left-wing and Arab voters were showing up in large numbers to try to oust him.

Media said the mainly Arab Joint List alliance was set to become the third-largest bloc in parliament with 13 seats.

“The Netanyahu era is over,” said Ahmed Tibi, one of the list’s leaders.

“If Gantz calls we shall tell him our conditions for supporting him.” If the initial results hold, it will be a major setback for Netanyahu, who hoped to form a right-wing coalition similar to his current administration as he faces the possibility of an corruption indictment in weeks ahead.

Gantz, addressing supporters in Tel Aviv, called for a “broad unity government” but cautioned that he was waiting for final results.

“We will act to form a broad unity government that will express the will of the people,” the former armed forces chief said.

“We will begin negotiations and I will speak with everyone.” Ex-defence minister Avigdor Lieberman could prove to be kingmaker, with the reported results giving his secular-nationalist party Yisrael Beitenu nine seats.

He has not declared in favour of either of the two leading contenders.

“There is only one option for us,” he has stated.

“That is to form a broad, liberal, national unity government” with Yisrael Beitenu, Blue and White and Likud.

Such a government would not include the ultra-Orthodox Jews.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2019