Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party trailed its main rival Blue and White by 31 to 32 seats Wednesday after an unprecedented repeat election, putting country's longest-serving premier on shaky ground and raising possibility of a unity government. Israelis voted on Tuesday in ir country's second general election in five months after 69-year-old Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition with a viable majority following April's vote.

Netanyahu trails in exit polls

Central Election Committee (CEC) said that Blue and White party seemed to be taking a le over Likud after 91 per cent votes were counted. As per figures shared by CEC, centre-left bloc w has 56 seats compared to Netanyahu-led bloc, comprised of right-wing and ultra-Orthodox parties, which is at 55 seats in 120-member Parliament. Joint List, an alliance of mostly Arab Israeli parties, also has gained a seat standing at 13. se numbers may change slightly when votes of soldiers are counted later Wednesday and Thursday.

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Poll predictions

secular Yisrael Beitenu party won 9 seats, making its leer and former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman kingmaker in elections, as predicted earlier in exit polls. Meanwhile, Netanyahu's office said prime minister will t travel to New York next week for UN General Assembly in wake of election results. Foreign Minister Yisrael Katz will speak at UN General Assembly inste of Netanyahu, prime minister's spokeswoman said.

Lieberman rejects coalition

On Wednesday morning, 61-year-old Lieberman, an ally-turned-rival of Netanyahu, asserted that he will t join any coalition. He said that " picture is clear...re is only one option and it's a bro liberal unity government" comprising of Likud, Blue and White and his own Yisrael Beitenu. ultra-Orthodox Shas got nine seats. United Torah Judaism has 8, Yamina has 7, Labour-Gesher is at 6 and Democratic Camp has 5. According to reports Netanyahu has rejected idea of a coalition that would include Joint List as a partner, saying re cant be a government that relies on parties that praise and glorify bloodthirsty terrorists who kill our soldiers, our citizens, our children.

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Netanyahu and Leiberman

Lieberman h me it a condition of allying with ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties that y opt a law aimed at having ultra-Orthodox Jews serve in military like ir secular counterparts. Ultra-Orthodox Jews studying in religious seminaries are currently exempt from mandatory military service, a practice many Israelis view as unfair. Netanyahu and Lieberman's association in politics goes back some 31 years when latter assisted former during his tenure as deputy foreign minister in an ufficial capacity. Netanyahu, who has been premier for a total of more than 13 years, faces charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust in connection with three cases

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Blue and White rejoice

Gantz, 60, on Wednesday told supporters that his party's campaign h "completed mission." "We proved that idea called Blue and White, an initiative that we started a few months ago, is a success, big-time, and it's here to stay, Gantz was quoted as saying by Times of Israel. Netanyahu called snap election after failing to form a governing coalition with a viable majority after April's vote. His remarkable victory in April 9 polls securing him a record fifth term proved temporary in face of a logjam between potential coalition partners over a military conscription bill governing exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students.

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