Whatever comes next, the Netanyahu era as we know it is over

The most expected outcome of Tuesday elections in Israel has somehow become the biggest surprise.

The tie between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and Benny Gantz’s Blue and White on about 33 seats each is a reflection of longtime division of Israeli society into two camps.

A woman places electoral banners for the Likud party showing chairman and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the southern Israeli city of Beersheva (AFP)

Yet even before Israelis know who their next PM is going to be, even before we know if the Netanyahu era is over, all political analysts agree the days of Netanyahu as we know him - “the magician”, the omnipotent leader of ”another league” - are certainly over.

Read MEE's latest analysis from Lily Galili in Tel Aviv, Israel