Israel goes to the polls

Israelis have begun voting in an election that pollsters say is too close to call. Right-wing opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu is bidding to oust the centrist party of foreign minister Tzipi Livni. The short campaign leading up to the poll was overshadowed by Israel's January war with Palestinian militants in Gaza. The key issue facing voters is which leader can best assure the security of the state while chances of a peace deal seem remote. Around 5.3 million people are eligible to vote, in 9,000 polling stations nationwide, but the campaign generated little enthusiasm, and cold, rainy weather across the country has increased the possibility of a low turnout. Likud party leader Mr Netanyahu, once a clear frontrunner in opinion polls, has lost ground to Ms Livni since the 22-day war last month in which 1,300 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. Ultra-rightist Avigdor Lieberman, a potential spoiler for Mr Netanyahu, has seen his popularity soar since the Gaza war that ended on January 18. Mr Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party pledges to get tougher with Palestinians, including Israeli Arab citizens, and supports Jewish settlement building in the occupied West Bank. Defence Minister Ehud Barak of the once dominant Labour party is trailing in fourth place, though his poll numbers have more than doubled since the war. The race could be determined by how smaller parties do. Up to 15 per cent of voters were undecided in the final days of campaigning, pollsters said. Israelis vote by party, and parliament seats are allocated by proportional representation to national party lists. The party with the most votes usually is called on to form the government. But it may take weeks to thrash out a new coalition deal. Ms Livni, 50, formerly of the Mossad intelligence agency, would be the first female prime minister since Golda Meir in the 1970s. Mr Netanyahu, 59, a former finance minister, and Mr Barak, 66, a former general, have served previously as premiers. As foreign minister, Ms Livni has led peace talks with Palestinians on a two-state solution. They reached a dead end under Prime Minister Ehud Olmert but new US President Barack Obama wants to resume the process. Mr Netanyahu would set tougher terms for talks.

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ITN | February 10, 2009

Tags:. .avigdor. .enthusiasm. .occupied. .yisrael. .militants