Netanyahu confident of re-election despite exit polls depicting deadlock

Likud Party chief Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday expressed confidence on retaining power despite exit polls showing Benny Gantz, his direct rival from the Blue and White party, taking a slight edge over him in the country's recently culminated snap general polls.

Israel's major television channels predicted a Likud-led coalition at 54-57 seats, coming short of four seats needed to form a government in the Knesset (unicameral national legislature), the Times of Israel reported.

Meanwhile, in a speech at Tel Aviv Expo Center on Wednesday, Netanyahu said, "There cannot be a government that relies on parties that praise and glorify blood-thirsty terrorists who kill our soldiers, our citizens, our children.''

Netanyahu further expressed his plans to create a 'strong Zionist' government and thwart the formation of an 'anti-Zionist' government.

"Israel needs a strong government, a stable government, a Zionist government, a government that is committed to Israel as the nation-state of the Jewish people," he said.

On Tuesday, Israel witnessed its first snap polls after Netanyahu was unable to form a coalition government following the elections back in April.