‘The spell has been broken’: Netanyahu the ‘wizard’ has lost his magic touch and Israel will forever be changed

Analysis: What next after he failed to sweep a majority in the elections, asks Bel Trew

The Israeli prime minister spoke to supporters at his Likud party headquarters after the announcement of exit polls in Tel Aviv (Reuters)

No one was chanting “magician” when a hoarse Benjamin Netanyahu took to the stage of his half-empty elections headquarters at 3am on Wednesday.

There was no impassioned kiss with his wife Sara, no cascade of blue and white glitter, no indoor towering fireworks like the last time.

Instead, he stood at the podium alone to deliver a speech where he appeared to completely ignore reality by refusing to concede defeat in Tuesday’s unprecedented second elections.