Netanyahu claims victory in parliamentary elections

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu waves to supporters at the party headquarters in Tel Aviv March 18, 2015. [Photo/Agencies]

JERUSALEM - Israel's incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory following exit polls showing him tied with opposition center-left Zionist Union led by Isaac Herzog in Tuesday's parliamentary elections.

Meanwhile, leaders of the Zionist Union and other center-left parties said the right-wing celebrations are premature and urged the Israeli public to wait for real-time results to arrive in the next couple of hours.

The Zionist Union and the Likud are predicted to win 27 seats respectively in the 120-member parliament, according to the exit polls conducted by Israel's Channel 1 and Channel 10. Another exit poll, conducted by Channel 2, gave the Likud one seat lead over the center-left Zionist Union, with the former winning 28 seats.

"Against all odds, a great victory for the Likud, for the nationalist camp led by the Likud and the people of Israel," Netanyahu wrote on his Twitter page Tuesday evening.

Energy and Water Minister Silvan Shalom of the Likud told reporters in Tel Aviv on Tuesday that the polls clearly show Netanyahu will continue to lead the state of Israel.

"I think the results are very strong and show that many Israelis decided to come and vote for the Likud and keep the national camp in power and not enable the left-wing to take power, " Shalom said.

Netanyahu will "form a coalition in a short time" with his " natural allies" and have a "strong coalition," he added.