[20150421]IN10251_2015年选举后的以色列：内塔尼亚胡的胜利对美国的政策意味着什么？.pdf

CRS InsightsIsrael After the 2015 Elections: What Does Netanyahus Victory Mean for U.S. Policy?Jim Zanotti, Specialist in Middle Eastern Affairs (jzanotticrs.loc.gov, 7-1441)April 21, 2015 (IN10251)The Israeli Knesset elections held on March 17, 2015, were a subject of significant interest for the United States. Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahus Likud party finished with a six-seat advantage over the center-left Zionist Union (a joint list of the Labor and Hatnua parties), which was particularly striking because Likud had trailed by four seats in final pre-election polls. Under the laws governing Israels multi-party parliamentary system, Israeli President Reuven Rivlin assigned Netanyahu on March 25 to form a majority coalition within 28 days. On April 20, Rivlin provided a one-time extension under law to give Netanyahu until May 6.Many commentators attribute Likuds win at least partly to statements by Netanyahu in the final days of the campaign to persuade right-leaning voters to choose Likud over smaller parties in order to prevent Zionist Union from taking power. Netanyahu appeared to renounce his previously expressed willingness to accept the creation of a Palestinian state, b