video transcript

Palestinians voiced pessimism on Wednesday after hawkish Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed victory in Israel's parliamentary election. Residents in the occupied West Bank city of Ramallah said they weren't surprised by the results, but that they also don't expect any change no matter who holds Israel's top post. (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SAMHAN ZAHRAN, A RESIDENT OF RAMALLAH, SAYING: "Same thing, killing, blood, destruction and besieging the Palestinian Authority, they are all the same." Netanyahu claimed victory after his party list had the biggest showing, taking 31 of the Knesset's 120 seats. One PLO committee member said he doesn't see a bright future. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PLO EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBER, MOHAMAD SHTAYEH, SAYING: "During Netanyahu's time there has been incredible intensification of the settlement programme, a total erosion of the Palestinian state, a Judaisation of Jerusalem as well as the rest of the Palestinian Territories and end for the two-state solution. Therefore, I think that in the next years with Netanyahu we are going to see very dark days." Whatever permutation finally emerges, a Netanyahu-led government is likely to resist any push for the kind of peace deal with the Palestinians that would satisfy moderates seeking a viable independent state alongside Israel.