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Both Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's Kadima party and Binyamin Netanyahu's opposition Likud styled themselves the winners of Tuesday's elections, after exit polls broadcast on the three television networks showed Kadima would be the largest party in the new Knesset, but the Likud-led right-wing would constitute the larger bloc.With 88% of the ballot boxes counted by 2:45 a.m., Kadima was leading Likud with a predicted 29 mandates, while the latter had garnered a predicted 27 seats. Israel Beiteinu was expected to earn 15 mandates, Labor 13, Shas 11, United Torah Judaism 4, National Union 4, Hadash 4, Meretz 3, Bayit Hayihudi 3, United Arab List 3, and Balad 2 seats.Livni had argued earlier in the day that whoever headed the biggest party should be deemed to have "won the public's trust" and should thus be charged with forming the next coalition.But Likud leaders were already working on Tuesday to construct a "blocking" majority that would deny her any such prospect.Israel Beiteinu, whose support could be critical to the nature of the next coalition, was to meet on Wednesday to discuss the options produced by the election outcome. But party leader Avigdor Lieberman, in a victory speech after midnight, indicated it was his intention to go with the Likud."We've turned into a significant party, the third largest in Israel," Lieberman told cheering supporters. "It's true that Tzipi Livni won a surprise victory. But what is more important is that the right-wing camp won a clear majority... We want a right-wing government. That's our wish and we don't hide it."Both Netanyahu and Livni had called Lieberman on Tuesday night and asked for his support.Official results sanctioned by the Central Elections Committee were not expected until early Wednesday morning and the final results, including votes from soldiers and emissaries abroad, will only be published on February 18.A Dialog poll broadcast on Channel 10 gave Kadima 30 mandates, Likud 28 seats, and Israel Beiteinu 15.A Midgam poll on Channel 1 found that Kadima had won 30, Likud 28, and Israel Beiteinu 14.The Dahaf Institute's poll on Channel 2 predicted 29 mandates for Kadima, 27 for Likud, and 15 for Israel Beiteinu.All three channels gave Labor 13 seats.The exit polls surveyed voters right after they emerged from polling stations across the country. Voting ended in Channel 2's poll at 5:30 p.m., Channel 1's at 8:30, and Channel 10's at 9:30.Overall voter turnout, which observers had feared would be low, was 65.2%, over two percentage points higher than in the 2006 national elections.Kadima leaders immediately declared victory and expressed confidence that Livni would be able to form a government together with at least Labor, Meretz and Israel Beiteinu.In an effort to reach out to Lieberman, Livni's associates said her first step as prime minister would be to change the political system, an issue at the top of his platform.Livni challenged Netanyahu in statements throughout the day Tuesday to fulfill the public's desire for a national-unity government by joining a coalition led by her."As soon as Kadima gets more mandates, Bibi will have to stop with his manipulations and join a national-unity government," Livni said."Whoever gets more mandates won the public's trust and no one can argue with that. We are the only party that can form a national-unity government."By GIL HOFFMAN
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