Netanyahu wins Likud primaries

Likud party Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu remained in control of the party after winning primary elections Tuesday night.

Ballots closed slightly after 11 pm with 37,633 (39.64%) of the 94,944 registered Likud members casting their votes.

Results showed that Netanyahu recieved some 75% out of the 30,000 votes that have been counted so far, while his opponents Jewish Leadership faction leader Moshe Feiglin and World Likud Chairman Danny Danon and received 22% and about 4% respectively. 

Netanyahu's supporters expressed satisfaction with the turnout, after weeks of concern that a low turn out may strengthen Feiglin in the party.

"We want to point out the high voter turnout," one of Netanyahu's aides said. "We thought that 30% would be good, and 35% would be very good, so 40% is excellent."

Below are some of the results from different voting stations across the country that have been published so far:

Tel Aviv: Netanyahu 141, Feiglin 11, Danon 1, Beersheba: Netanyahu 409, Feiglin 117, Danon 41, Sderot: Netanyahu 119, Feiglin 31, Danon 1 and Ashkelon: Netanyahu 474, Feiglin 128 and Danon 3.

The voting station at the Jerusalem International Convention Center was desolate during the first hours of the Likud primary elections Tuesday morning.

Activists working for candidates Benjamin Netanyahu and Moshe Feiglin wandered around the polling stations and tried to interfere with the drowsy atmosphere.

While casting his vote, candidate Feiglin said, "We should have leadership that knows where it's going, Jewish leadership."

Prior to the opening of the ballots, Netanyahu called on his supporters to make sure to vote. "We don't want an inaccurate representation that suggests we advocate insubordination and messianic ideals," he said.