JERUSALEM
Incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Wednesday visited the Hait al-Buraq – known to Jews as the "Western Wall" – to perform prayers hours after his right-wing Likud Party won Israel's Knesset (parliament) polls.
Netanyahu voiced appreciation for the Israeli public's decision to vote for his party, despite what he described as "strong opposition."
"I am honored by the huge responsibility bestowed on me by the people of Israel," Netanyahu wrote on Twitter.
"I will do my best to ensure the security and welfare of the citizens of Israel," he added.
Palestinians consider the Hait al-Buraq area an Islamic historical landmark. Jews, who refer to the area as the "Western" or "Wailing Wall," also frequently perform prayers near it.
Netanyahu's party won 30 of the Knesset's 120 seats, while its main rival, the center-left Zionist Union, won 24 seats, according to Israeli media.
Millions of Israelis voted on Tuesday to select the country's next prime minister and members of parliament.
Election results will be officially announced on Thursday.
