Israel Election Heads for Deadlock Between Netanyahu and Gantz With 60 of the votes counted, br it still remains unclear who will br be the next prime minister of Israel. Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-servingbr prime minister, is seeking his fifth term. To win, Netanyahu's Likud partybr needs to command 61 seats in br the Knesset (parliament). As of Tuesday, the incumbent holds 31 br as his opponent, Benny Gantz, holds 32. The outcome may depend on br each candidate's stance on annexing br Jewish settlements and territories in the br West Bank, which Netanyahu plans to do. Gantz's Blue and White party has not br issued an official stance on annexationbr but has stated he will not divide Jerusalem. Neither party can take the lead br without support from Yisrael Beiteinu,br whose leader wants a government of bothbr Likud and Blue and White.