Transport minister tweets biblical verse: 'If you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides'

While some attribute bump for Likud to annexation pledges, others say it had to do with allegiance to premier, who is seen as being under attack

As exit polls and early results show spectacularly poor showing, Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir says he's proud he stood by his principles

Official ballot count begins, set to extend throughout night; Netanyahu declares 'gigantic victory' for Israel

After hard-fought campaign seen as referendum on longtime leader’s rule, Likud predicted to win 36-37 seats, significantly more than Gantz’s Blue and White, with 32-33

Otzma Yehudit leader Itamar Ben Gvir says other parties were unable to meet his demands; Netanyahu had been pushing him to drop out

Otzma Yehudit says it's staying in the race after PM walked back agreement to raze Bedouin hamlet, amend law barring racists from Knesset

Otzma Yehudit head says Netanyahu must raze Bedouin hamlet by Friday afternoon, cancel Oslo Accords and nix pluralistic section of Western Wall for him to drop out

Kan report says Otzma Yehudit spurned various offers by ruling party, won't drop out of race despite likelihood it will fail to enter Knesset

PM says sorry after Eshel, in bid to get extremist Ben Gvir to leave race, disparages religious leader and supporters with dismissive Yiddish prefix 'sh': 'Druckman and Shmuckman'