JERUSALEM - Today, Israelis go to the polls to choose their next government. The stakes are high for the country and for Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Israelis are voting all over the country, from the north in Metula and all the way down south to Eilat. In fact, it's a national holiday and most people have the day off.

The stakes are the future direction of Israel and the two main competitors are the Blue and White party led by former IDF chief of staff Benny Gantz and the Likud party led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The polls are extremely close and pollsters say as many as one-fourth of the population were undecided up to today and some people will probably be making their decisions in the voting booth itself.

Although many Israelis viewed this election season as especially combative, they recognize the importance of showing up at the polls today.

"It was unbelievable. So many dirty things one to another. I don't like it. But it's our duty to vote," Israeli voter Kathleen Many told CBN News.

Others celebrated the freedom to vote.

"This is the only country in the Middle East that has a happy, healthy, free, open democracy. And that is reason enough to celebrate today. So, happy Election Day everybody," Ari Kalker said.

The results will come in late Tuesday night and then the country, the region and the world will have a better idea of where the Jewish state is heading.

You can see election updates on CBNNews.com and watch our full election results tomorrow on the 700 Club. </s> Israel will hold early election in April, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday.

“The leaders of the coalition decided unanimously to dissolve parliament and go to a new election in early April,” the spokesman said on Twitter.

The move came after a meeting between the heads of the Israeli coalition.

Israeli daily Haaretz said the new polls will be held on April 9.

The last Israeli general elections were held in May 2015, while the upcoming elections had been expected to be held in November.

Netanyahu, the head of the Likud party, has led the current coalition, which includes the right-wing parties of the Jewish House, Kulanu, Shas and United Torah Judaism.

Yisrael Beitenu, headed by Avigdor Lieberman, has recently withdrawn from the governing coalition.

The decision to call early elections came after a dispute over a compulsory military service bill as United Torah Judaism vowed to withdraw from the coalition if the Knesset voted in favor of the draft law.

Army service is mandatory for all Israeli citizens (three years for men and two years for women), with the exception of members of the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community.

Ultra-Orthodox Jews account for roughly 10 percent of Israel's total population. They tend to live in closed communities and adhere to strict interpretations of Jewish religious law. </s> Jerusalem – Israeli voters were deciding Tuesday whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in office after a decade in power as they cast ballots in a national election that has become a referendum of sorts on their longtime leader.

Clouded by a series of looming corruption indictments, Netanyahu is seeking a fourth consecutive and a fifth overall term in office, which would make him Israel’s longest-ever serving leader, surpassing founding father David Ben-Gurion.

He faces a stiff challenge from retired military chief Benny Gantz, whose Blue and White party has inched ahead of Netanyahu’s Likud in polls. Netanyahu still appears to have the best chance of forming a coalition, though, with a smattering of small nationalist parties backing him.

Gantz voted in his hometown of Rosh Haayin in central Israel alongside his wife, Revital, calling on Israelis to vote and “take responsibility” for their democracy.

“Go to vote. Choose whoever you believe in. Respect each other and let us all wake up for a new dawn, a new history,” he said.

Netanyahu cast his ballot shortly after in Jerusalem, alongside his wife Sara, urging all Israelis to vote and saying it is a “sacred act.”

The election has emerged as a referendum on Netanyahu and his 13 years overall in power, with the existential questions facing Israel rarely being discussed in the campaign. The 69-year-old prime minister has been the dominant force in Israeli politics for the past two decades and its face to the world.

But his various corruption scandals have created some voter fatigue, and in recent days he’s vowed to annex Jewish West Bank settlements if re-elected – a prospect that could doom the already slim hopes of establishing a Palestinian state alongside Israel, which Netanyahu has previously wavered on.

“It’s about time for a change,” said Barry Rifkin, a Jerusalem resident.

Polling stations opened at 7 a.m., with exit polls expected at the end of the voting day, at 10 p.m. Some 6.4 million eligible voters will be able to cast their ballots at more than 10,000 stations. Some 40 parties are running, but no more than a dozen are expected to make it into parliament. Election day in Israel is a national holiday, with turnout expected to be high in good weather.

Official results will begin streaming in early Wednesday, but it may take far longer for a final verdict to come through, given the fragmented state of Israeli politics.

As many as a half-dozen parties are teetering along the threshold for entering the Knesset, or parliament. A failure by any of these parties to get the required 3.25 percent of total votes cast could have a dramatic impact on who ultimately forms the next coalition. The Israeli government needs a parliamentary majority to rule, and since no party has ever earned more than half of the 120 seats in the Knesset, a coalition is required.

Netanyahu and Gantz have ruled out sitting together in government, so the next prime minister will likely come down to how many supporters each candidate can recruit.

Israel’s president, Reuven Rivlin, could play an important role. Though largely a ceremonial post, the president is responsible for choosing the candidate with the best chance of building a stable coalition government as prime minister.

Rivlin told voters as he cast his ballot in Jerusalem that “the only ones that will determine who will be prime minister, and what the next government will be, are you.”

“And in order for you to influence, you must vote,” he said.

In the campaign’s final days, Netanyahu has veered to the right and embarked on a media blitz in which he portrays himself as the underdog and frantically warns that “the right-wing government is in danger.”

His nationalist allies, however, see the move as a repeat of his 2015 election tactic to draw away their voters as he did four years ago when on election day, he warned of Arabs turning out in “droves.” The scare tactics were seen as helping him seal a come-from-behind victory.

Arab turnout will be a major issue this time as well. Netanyahu’s campaign against Arab politicians, together with the new alliance with anti-Arab extremists and the passage of last year’s contentious nation-state law, which enshrined Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people alone, have deepened calls for a ballot boycott in Arab communities.

But some hope these blows will have the opposite effect, fueling enough frustration to drive up the Arab participation rate, which is typically lower than that of Israeli Jews. A big Arab turnout could push smaller right-wing parties into the margins and even threaten Netanyahu’s long rule.

The leftist Meretz even put out a video urging Arabs to vote. “Bibi is counting on you. Because if you don’t vote, Bibi wins,” it said, referring to Netanyahu by his nickname.

The Palestinian issue has been largely sidelined in the election campaign that has been long on scandal and short on substance. But in a reminder, the military says it imposed a 24-hour closure on the West Bank and Gaza throughout election day, based on its security assessments.

Even if he is re-elected, Netanyahu could have a difficult time governing. Some of his allies have indicated they will no longer back him if formal charges are filed.

Israel’s attorney general has recommended indicting him on bribery and breach of trust charges in three separate cases. Rivals have also begun to question a deal in which Netanyahu reportedly earned $4 million on a German submarine sale to Egypt by owning shares in one of the German manufacturer’s suppliers.

Netanyahu denies any wrongdoing and claims the accusations are part of a liberal media’s orchestrated witch hunt against him.

Netanyahu has generated much of his popularity from projecting a tough image in the face of Iran’s rising power and for keeping Israel safe and prosperous in a hostile region.

But in Gantz he has encountered the rare opponent who can match his security credentials. Along with two other former military chiefs on his ticket, Gantz has attacked Netanyahu for failing to halt rocket fire from the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. The telegenic Gantz, who has been vague on key policy fronts, has presented himself as a clean, scandal-free alternative to Netanyahu and has vowed to heal the rifts the longtime leader has created in Israeli society. </s> Israel is to hold its second election this year after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government before a midnight deadline.

Israel's parliament voted to dissolve itself - less than two months after the last general election.

The new vote is expected to be held in September.

"We will run a sharp, clear election campaign which will bring us victory," said Mr Netanyahu. "We will win, we will win and the public will win."

The vote to dissolve the Knesset dealt a blow to Mr Netanyahu, who appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in April's election.

But infighting among his ultra-orthodox and secular ultra-nationalist allies, and disagreement about proposals to protect Mr Netanyahu from prosecution sank his efforts to form a coalition.

His party then brought forward a bill to dissolve parliament, rather than concede the task of forming a government to a rival.

In April, Mr Netanyahu's Likud Party won 35 of the 120 seats on offer in the Knesset, despite facing possible indictment in three cases of corruption.

He denies the corruption charges, and accused his opponents of mounting a witch hunt against him. </s> went to polls on Tuesday to elect members of its national legislature, Knesset, with more than 6.3 million voters eligible to exercise their franchise in what has been described as a closely fought battle.

of reported that polling began at 7am on Tuesday in 10,000 polling stations across the country. A total of 39 diverse political parties are participating in the elections for the 21st legislature.

However, this time it is a closely fought election between and former

Surveys show that Gantz's centrist is slightly ahead of But Netanyahu still has a favourable option of forming a majority coalition with other right-wing parties and retain his office.

Despite reeling under a series of corruption allegations, Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term in office. If he wins, he would become Israel's surpassing founding father

In the final days of his election campaign, Netanyahu vowed to annex settlements in the occupied if re-elected. The leader even dubbed himself as the underdog and warned that "the right-wing government is in danger".

Despite the expected majority for right-wing factions in the 120-seat Knesset, Netanyahu said that would choose whichever party is the biggest if no prime ministerial candidate has sufficient number of recommendations from other party leaders to assemble a coalition.

Netanyahu is likely to be indicted in three corruption cases, including in a charge of bribery.

Meanwhile, Gantz said needed to choose between "a direction of unity and connection and hope" and one of "extremism." He vowed to form "a cabinet of reconciliation, with representatives from the (current) coalition and opposition."

In the elections, viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu's leadership, 10,720 booths are being set up across the country, including 190 in hospitals and 58 in prisons.

Only soldiers, foreign envoys, prisoners and hospitalised patients are allowed to cast ballots away from the polling station assigned to their place of residence.

Final results of the elections are likely to be out on Thursday. </s> Israel's main opposition Labor party voted for a new leader Monday as it seeks to regain waning influence and win back supporters who have drifted toward centrist and right-wing candidates.

The runoff election sees two candidates with sharply different political backgrounds: Amir Peretz, a longtime politician and former party leader; and Avi Gabbay, an ex-businessman who joined Labor only months ago.

Some 52,000 party members are eligible to vote in the runoff, with polls open from 11:00 am to 9:00 pm (0800 to 1800 GMT). The election is expected to be close.

By around 6:00 pm, voter turnout had reached some 36 percent, according to a party official. Results were expected to be announced around 9:30 pm.

The candidates advanced to the runoff by beating five others in last week's first round, with Peretz winning 32.7 percent and Gabbay 27.1 percent.

The vote saw current Labor chairman Isaac Herzog garner only 16.7 percent for a third-place finish, a rapid fall in popularity after leading the party in the last general elections in 2015.

Herzog has faced a barrage of criticism over his attempts to negotiate for his party to join Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing coalition and over Labor's slide in opinion polls.

Israeli politics has seen a shift rightward in recent years, with Netanyahu and his Likud party in power since 2009.

Centrist parties such as Yesh Atid and Kulanu -- which Gabbay was a member of until recently -- have also benefited at the expense of Labor.

The country's last Labor prime minister was Ehud Barak from 1999 to 2001.

Ahead of the 2015 elections, Labor joined forces with Tzipi Livni's Hatnua to form the Zionist Union, which won 24 seats in the 120-seat parliament to become the largest opposition to Netanyahu's government.

Supporters of the two candidates in the runoff hope their backgrounds will widen Labour's support.

Both are of Moroccan descent, rare for a leader of a major party in Israel, and may be able to increase support for Labor among Mizrahi Jews -- those of Middle Eastern or North African origin.

They also both support a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

But beyond that, Peretz and Gabbay have little in common.

Peretz, 65 and with a trademark salt-and-pepper mustache, is a veteran politician, former trade union leader and ex-defense minister.

He was previously head of Labor from 2005-2007 and is the longest serving member of the Knesset, or parliament.

His first stint as leader ended after he was accused of failing in his post as defense minister during the 34-day war against Lebanon's Hizbullah in 2006.

Peretz however later saw redemption, gaining praise for having pushed for the development of the Iron Dome missile defense system, now seen as an indispensable part of Israel's military infrastructure.

He has received backing from Herzog and other party insiders in the runoff.

"We will work to heal the society and the divisions caused by Netanyahu," Peretz said on his Facebook page, while also pledging to act "immediately to relaunch the peace process."

Gabbay, 50, is seen as a fresh face, having formerly headed Israeli telecommunications firm Bezeq before joining politics. He has never been a member of Israel's parliament.

In 2014, he joined forces with former Likud minister Moshe Kahlon to form centre-right Kulanu.

Kulanu won 10 seats in the 2015 general elections and joined Netanyahu's coalition, with Gabbay appointed environment minister despite not being a parliament member.

He quit in 2016 in protest at the appointment of hardliner Avigdor Lieberman to head the defense ministry, saying the move was against Israel's security interests and would deepen societal divisions.

Gabbay announced only in December that he was joining the Labor party. Barak, the ex-prime minister, has announced his support for Gabbay in the runoff.

After polls opened on Monday, he said on his Facebook page that he would bring "hope and change" while injecting new life into the party.

The party's voters will be faced with a stark choice.

"Amir Peretz'‎s advantage lies in his rich political experience," Nahum Barnea wrote in Israel's Yediot Aharonot newspaper.

"That is also a weakness: Over the course of his many years in politics, Peretz has won himself quite a few enemies. Avi Gabbay is Peretz'‎s mirror image: new, fresh and inexperienced." </s> Israeli lawmakers on Thursday voted to dissolve the Parliament after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a coalition government following elections held in April, reported Reuters. Netanyahu will now remain in power until fresh elections are held on September 17.

The lawmakers voted 74-45 in favour of dissolving the parliament. It is the first time in Israel’s history that a prime minister-designate has failed to form a coalition, according to BBC.

“We’ll run a sharp, clear election campaign which will bring us victory,” Netanyahu told reporters after the vote. “We’ll win, we’ll win and the public will win.”

In the elections in held in April, Netanyahu’s Likud Party won 35 out of 120 seats. His party then tried to join hands with Avigdor Lieberman’s Yisrael Beitenu party. But talks failed after former Defence Minister Lieberman demanded that the military draft exemptions for ultra-Orthodox Jewish seminary students be changed.

Israel has always had coalition governments. No party has ever won majority in the country’s 120-seat parliament.

Netanyahu, who faces charges of corruption, had promised to annex the West Bank if he is reelected. On March 1, Israeli Attorney General Avichai Mandelblit recommended the prime minister be indicted on breach of trust and bribery charges in three separate cases. </s> Lebanese voted Sunday for a new parliament for the first time since 2009, with enthusiasm in many places and apathy in others. Elections for a new electoral body have been repeatedly postponed since 2013, amid turmoil due to the Syrian civil war.

Supporters of outgoing Prime Minister Saad Hariri chanted his name, after he cast his ballot and left the polling place, surrounded by supporters.

He says that hopefully every Lebanese citizen will do his civic duty and turn out to cast his ballot for the candidates of his choice and that this is a sign the country is in good health.

Arab media speculated Hariri would likely be asked to form a new national unity government after the election, replacing the one over which he currently presides.

President Michel Aoun, who was elected in 2016 after a nearly two-and-a-half year political deadlock left the presidency vacant, told voters after casting his ballot, that it is the duty of voters to pass judgement on those who represent them.

He says parliament is the seat of most power in the country and voting is a sacred duty. Voters, he insists, must not throw away their power to reward or punish those who represent them.

Security was tight to prevent tensions from spilling over near most polling stations and Interior Minister Nouhad Mashnouk said things appeared to be under control.

He says that he is going around the country to make sure the election goes smoothly. He added that there has been a strong turnout.

Arab news channels showed video of what they claimed was a woman candidate being harassed by Hezbollah supporters in southern Lebanon. VOA could not independently confirm the claim.

Veteran Lebanese Christian political leader Dory Chamoun tells VOA he and many other Lebanese are eager to cast their ballots "after a long drought," as he put it.

"It was about time we had those parliamentary elections, except that the electoral law, which they came out with, is not exactly something that is an example of democracy," he said.

Chamoun said that he hoped the pro-Western alliance to which he belongs would "win up to 18 seats" in the new parliament, but that he "was not optimistic," given the flaws in the electoral law.

Under Lebanon’s new electoral system, voters cast two votes: one for a list of candidates and another for their preferred candidate within that list. A special formula based on the preferential vote determines who gets the seats.

Many Lebanese political observers are expecting Hezbollah to strengthen its position in parliament. Lebanon's 128 seat parliament is divided equally between Christians and Muslims. </s> JERUSALEM — Israel’s parliament voted to dissolve itself early Thursday, sending the country to an unprecedented second snap election this year as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu failed to form a governing coalition before a midnight deadline.

The dramatic vote, less than two months after parliamentary elections, marked a dramatic downturn for Netanyahu and sent the longtime leader’s future into turmoil.

Netanyahu, who has led Israel for the past decade, had appeared to capture a fourth consecutive term in April’s election. But infighting among his allies, and disagreements over proposed bills that would protect Netanyahu from prosecution stymied his efforts to put together a majority coalition.

Rather than concede that task to one of his rivals, Netanyahu’s Likud party advanced a bill to dissolve parliament and send the country to the polls for a second time this year.

Had the deadline passed, Israel’s president would have given another lawmaker, most likely opposition leader Benny Gantz, an opportunity to put together a coalition. After the vote, Gantz angrily accused Netanyahu of choosing self-preservation over allowing the country’s political process to run its course.

Gantz said that instead of following procedure, Netanyahu opted for “three crazy months” of a new campaign and millions of wasted dollars over new elections because he is “legally incapacitated” by looming indictments.

“There is no other reason,” Gantz said.

Netanyahu’s Likud party won 35 seats in the April 9 election, and his religious and nationalist allies won another 30, appearing to give him a solid majority in the 120-seat parliament.

But discord between his ultra-Orthodox allies and former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman’s secular nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party resulted in a deadlock.

After the vote, Netanyahu angrily accused Lieberman of making unrealistic demands and forcing an unnecessary election.

“He is dragging the entire country for another half a year of elections,” he said.

Wednesday’s vote sends the country into uncharted political waters, no less because Netanyahu, the interim prime minister, still faces a likely indictment for a battery of corruption charges just around the time of the election.
Israelis go to the polls to elect the new members of the Knesset (Israel's parliament) and a new Prime Minister.