Jerusalem, Oct. 28 -- Mounting a podium at Likud election headquarters as initial vote tallies began rolling in, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared his party's supremacy in the Israeli parliament, launching directly into a celebratory speech that wove military achievements, harsh attacks on political rivals, and an urgent appeal to form a nationalist government.

"Thank you very much, members of the Likud," Netanyahu began, thanking the activists and campaign workers who gathered after the polls closed. "Through courageous decisions, together with the public in Israel that stood firm, and thanks to our heroic soldiers, we worked wonders that changed the face of the Middle East."

The incumbent Prime Minister immediately pivoted to...