Millions of Israelis on Tuesday voted in a general election that has turned into a referendum on the six-year rule of embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is fighting an all-out battle to secure a record fourth term and defeat a spirited campaign by an united Opposition. Voting began at 7 am and a record number of 13.7 per cent voters turned out in the first three hours — over 20 per cent higher than voter turnout in previous two elections.
By 2 pm, an estimated 36.7 per cent of voters cast their ballots at polling stations throughout Israel. Ballots are for political parties rather than individual candidates. Israel has a proportional representation system, meaning a coalition Government is likely to be formed within its 120-seat Knesset, or parliament. Election is being held for all the 120 seats. In the current Parliament Netanyahu’s right-wing likud Party has 18 seats.
About 5.9 million voters are eligible to vote and are casting their ballot across the over 10,000 voting stations. A high voter turnout is expected this time after general turnout in polls have been on the decline since 1999 till when it used to be close to 80 per cent. In a last-ditch effort to woo rightwing voters, 65-year- old Netanyahu last night ruled out a Palestinian state, backtracking from his own six-year-old policy.
Netanyahu, whose campaign focused on Israel’s security and Iranian nuclear threat, today appeal to hard-liners to rush to the polling booths, saying high Arab voter turnout was endangering his right wing party’s dominance. “Arab voters are going to the polls in droves. left wing organisations are bringing them in buses,” he said.