Results Confirm Big Win for Netanyahu's Likud

Results released by Israel's Central Elections Committee on Thursday confirmed a big win for the rightwing Likud party of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over the center-left Zionist Union. 

The Likud won 30 of the 120 seats in parliament to 24 for the Zionist Union.

Rightwing and religious parties, including the center-right Kulanu, won a total of 67 seats against 53 for centrist, leftwing and Arab parties. 

The committee described the figures as "almost final," saying the official results would be published on March 25 after different checks had been carried out and complaints of voting irregularities investigated.