Israeli citizens are going to the polls in the fifth parliamentary election in just three and a half years, with opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu hoping to return as prime minister.
According to the latest polls, his party, the right-wing conservative Likud, could once again become the ruling party.
It remains unclear however, whether his right-wing religious group can secure a majority of seats overall.
On Twitter on Monday, the veteran politician, nicknamed “Bibi,” warned of a downward trend in the latest polls and urged his supporters to turn out and vote. Victory was within reach, he said.
Forty different parties are contesting the 25th election to the Knesset, the Israeli parliament, but only a third are expected to clear the 3.25 per cent hurdle.
As polling stations close, initial forecasts based on exit polls will be published around 9pm on Tuesday. The final result is not expected before Thursday, however.
Around 18,000 police officers will be deployed on election day to ensure the security of the 6.8 million eligible voters nationwide.
According to the last pre-election polls on Friday, the pro-Bibi bloc could get 60 out of 120 seats.
This would again create a stalemate with the opposing camp of current Prime Minister Yair Lapid.
His Future Party, which is in the political centre, could become second strongest.
The anti-Bibi camp consists of parties from the right to the left of the spectrum and wants to prevent the return of Netanyahu as head of government.
Read the article by Christina Storz and Sara Lemel, Dpa in The Canberra Times.