As news of Israel's prime minister incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu's likely reelection, Palestinian political factions have responded with disappointment and ambivalence to the prospect of another four years of Netanyahu leadership in Israel.
Earlier Wednesday, Palestinian Authority (PA) officials told Israeli publication Haaretz the right-wing leader's victory proves that Israel will not be a viable partner in the near future, as Netanyahu stressed in the final moments of his campaign that no Palestinian state would be constructed under his authority.
The officials went on to say that while the international community should hold Netanyahu accountable for assaults against international law and the Palestinian people, a right-wing government in Israel, should the reelect choose to assemble it, may actually end up helping the Palestinian plight because it would make things clearer in the political arena.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has yet to release an official statement regarding the results, reportedly waiting until the official tally and coalition formation to comment.
Hamas spoke up Tuesday as well. The group's spokesperson, Sami Abu-Zuhri, reacted to the results with ambivalence, saying there was no real difference between political factions in Israel, as each had goals that restricted the rights of Palestinians. He added: "Palestinian resistance is strong and capable of making its mark. The leaders of the occupation must think again about their stances after the failure in Gaza." The group suggested the PA cut off contact with Israeli leadership in response to the election, as Netanyahu "doesn't believe in a solution."
Official results will not be released until Thursday, but polls suggest Netanyahu's Likud party could form a government body without seeking a coalition with Israel's left-wing parties. The incumbent made a victory speech Tuesday night, with tallies reporting Likud walked away with 30 seats and Netanyahu a sweeping win.
