TEL AVIV, February 11, 2009 (WAFA)- With 99% of the Israeli votes counted for this year’s elections, Arab parties scored 7 seats; 4 for the United Arab List and 3 for Balad List.
The Israeli Kadima Party led by Tzipi Livni is in first place with 28 of the Knesset's 120 seats, with Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud Party following closely behind with 27 seats, Haaretz Israeli Daily Newspaper said.
As the vote progresses, Haaretz continued, Labor stands at 13 seats, while Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beitenu party is expected to garner 15 seats.
The secular left-wing New Movement-Meretz won only 3 seats and the right-wing religious parties scored fairly low, as well. United Torah Judaism won 5 seats, followed by the National Union with 4 and the Bayit Hayehudi with 3.
The Pensioners Party and the Green Movement-Meimad both won just 1% of the total vote, just missing the threshold to gain a seat in the Knesset. The Green Party, Strong Israel, the Green Leaf Party and the Tzabar - the youth party - made up 0% of the total vote.
