Voters in Israel’s do-over election on Tuesday left both of the two main parties well short of a majority in the parliament, unofficial exit polls showed.

Israel Elects: Likud party projects to get 31 seats

Benjamin Netanyahu has become Israel's longest-serving prime minister with his right-wing leadership and by repeatedly besting rivals with deft political moves, but he will have to pull another rabbit out of the hat in Tuesday's elections.

Benjamin Netanyahu has become Israel's longest-serving prime minister with his right-wing leadership and by repeatedly besting rivals with deft political moves, but he will have to pull another rabbit out of the hat in Tuesday's elections. The 69-year-old is fighting his second election in five months with a potential corruption indictment looming. After April polls, Netanyahu suffered one of the biggest defeats of his political career when he failed to form a coalition although his Likud party along with its right-wing and religious allies came out on top. The attorney general has announced his intention to indict Netanyahu on fraud, bribery and breach of trust charges pending a hearing, expected to be held soon after the election in early October. Many expect him to seek immunity if re-elected. × Netanyahu has spent years outlasting opponents and he could well do so again. He has campaigned with a combination of divisive populism and attempts to portray himself as a world statesman by talking up his relationships with foreign leaders, including US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin. True to form, he issued a last-minute pledge to annex the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank if re-elected, which many saw as a play for vital right-wing nationalist votes. That accompanied by his stated intention to annex Israeli settlements in the wider West Bank could effectively end any remaining hopes for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The burly son of a historian with his familiar grey comb-over has entrenched himself at the top so firmly he has been labelled "King Bibi", using his nickname dating to childhood. Few doubt his political effectiveness. Much of his popularity has to do with another nickname -- "Mr. Security" -- in a country where such issues are always on voters' minds. Netanyahu frequently talks openly about Israel's air war in Syria against Israel's archfoe Iran and its Lebanese ally Hezbollah. He generally avoids talking about the Palestinians apart from security operations. Netanyahu was born in Tel Aviv in 1949 less than 18 months after Israel's creation. He and his wife Sara have two sons, and he has a daughter from a previous marriage. Wounded in combat The son of a history professor active in Israeli right-wing politics, Netanyahu grew up partly in the United States. He attended the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and with his fluent, American-accented English has appeared on television speaking forcefully in defence of Israel. He performed his Israeli military service with an elite unit and was wounded in combat, but another family member's service affected him more deeply. In 1976, his brother Yonatan died in an Israeli commando raid to rescue hostages at Entebbe airport in Uganda. Netanyahu has called the operation "a very dramatic national experience" and "one of great personal consequence". Netanyahu's career took off when he was posted to the Israeli embassy in Washington and later served as ambassador to the United Nations. He became Israel's youngest prime minister in 1996, at 46, but was defeated three years later. Netanyahu would return to power in 2009 and has remained in office ever since.

Netanyahu: Israel's longest-serving prime minister fights for his future

Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger in Tuesday's elections, is a respected former military chief who says he can restore honour to the premier's office.

Benny Gantz, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's main challenger in Tuesday's elections, is a respected former military chief who says he can restore honour to the premier's office. Gantz, a 60-year-old ex-paratrooper, had no previous political experience when he declared himself as Netanyahu's electoral rival in December. The head of the centrist Blue and White alliance has since presented himself as someone who can heal divisions in Israeli society, which he says have been exacerbated by Netanyahu. For many of his supporters, he is the opposite of Netanyahu, though more in personality than in terms of policies, which the two share to a large degree, particularly on security. His alliance and Netanyahu's Likud each won 35 seats in April elections, but the premier was given the chance to form a coalition due to support from smaller right-wing and religious parties. Netanyahu failed to do so and opted instead for another election, despite facing potential indictment for corruption. Gantz was born on June 9, 1959, in Kfar Ahim, a southern Israeli village that his immigrant parents, both Holocaust survivors, helped to establish. He joined the army in 1977, completing the tough selection course for the paratroopers. He went on to command Shaldag, an air force special operations unit. In 1994, he returned to the army to command a brigade and then a division in the occupied West Bank. According to his official army biography, he was Israel's military attache to the United States from 2005 until 2009. He was chief of staff from 2011 to 2015, when he retired, and has boasted in video clips of the number of Palestinian militants killed and targets destroyed under his command in the 2014 war with Gaza's Islamist Hamas rulers. Gantz has a BA in history from Tel Aviv University, a master's degree in political science from Haifa University and a master's in national resource management from the National Defense University in the United States. He is married and a father of four. A security hawk, he is determined to keep the Jordan Valley in the occupied West Bank under Israeli control and maintain Israeli sovereignty over mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem. The two main contenders are in step on external threats such as archfoe Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah as well as Hamas. Gantz has pledged to improve public services and show "zero tolerance" for corruption -- a reference to graft allegations facing Netanyahu. Regarding the Palestinians, the Blue and White election manifesto speaks of wanting to separate from them, but does not specifically mention a two-state solution. Gantz is liberal on social issues related to religion and state, favouring the introduction of civil marriage. After gaffes on live television appearances earlier in the campaign, Gantz has been less visible lately, and some say not visible enough. But opinion polls show he has maintained support from those seeking to move on from Netanyahu's long tenure in office.

Israel's Gantz: Military man on a mission to beat Netanyahu

Israel elections: Benjamin Netanyahu's agenda and settlement issue

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday tweeted WION's video on the election campaign in Israel. The story which aired on WION's prime time show Gravitas, talked about how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is integral to the Israeli Prime Minister's election campaign. 
&nbsp; 
"The media in India reports about the personal friendship and tremendous relationship between me and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Netanyahu said in his tweet written originally in Hebrew.

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התקשורת בהודו מדווחת במהדורות החדשות על החברות האישית והיחסים האדירים ביני לבין ראש ממשלת הודו נרנדרה מודי 🇮🇱🇮🇳 <a href="https://t.co/sNQCGUIni2">pic.twitter.com/sNQCGUIni2</a>
— Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) <a href="https://twitter.com/netanyahu/status/1156140229033680896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2019</a></blockquote>
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Israel will be holding elections on September 17 after no party was able to get majority or cobble up a coalition in April elections. 
&nbsp; 
PM Modi has been featured in Netanyahu's election campaign. Netanyahu's Likud party has in a campaign video shown clips of PM Modi along with Netanyahu. The clips are from PM Modi's visit to Isreal in 2017, the first standalone visit by any Indian Prime Minister to the West Asian country.

Watch: Star campaigner in Israel too - Modi in Netanyahu's campaign

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/gravitas-star-campaigner-in-israel-too-modi-in-netanyahus-campaign-239316/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

The video shows PM Modi being welcomed at the airport in Israel as well as various moments of his trip to Israel. The beach stroll by both the leaders at Haifa's beach to see a demonstration of the mobile desalination unit became one of the highlights of Modi's visit. 
&nbsp; 
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first leaders to congratulate Modi after his election victory in the Lok Sabha elections in May this year. Lauding PM Modi's mandate he said, "the election results further reaffirm your leadership of the world's largest democracy." 
&nbsp; 
Netanyahu is expected to visit India on September 9. He had visited India in January 2018 to commemorate 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties with India.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday tweeted WION's video on the election campaign in Israel. The story which aired on WION's prime time show Gravitas, talked about how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is integral to the Israeli Prime Minister's election campaign.

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday tweeted WION's video on the election campaign in Israel. The story which aired on WION's prime time show Gravitas, talked about how Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is integral to the Israeli Prime Minister's election campaign. "The media in India reports about the personal friendship and tremendous relationship between me and Prime Minister Narendra Modi," Netanyahu said in his tweet written originally in Hebrew. התקשורת בהודו מדווחת במהדורות החדשות על החברות האישית והיחסים האדירים ביני לבין ראש ממשלת הודו נרנדרה מודי 🇮🇱🇮🇳 pic.twitter.com/sNQCGUIni2 — Benjamin Netanyahu (@netanyahu) July 30, 2019 × Israel will be holding elections on September 17 after no party was able to get majority or cobble up a coalition in April elections. PM Modi has been featured in Netanyahu's election campaign. Netanyahu's Likud party has in a campaign video shown clips of PM Modi along with Netanyahu. The clips are from PM Modi's visit to Isreal in 2017, the first standalone visit by any Indian Prime Minister to the West Asian country. Watch: Star campaigner in Israel too - Modi in Netanyahu's campaign The video shows PM Modi being welcomed at the airport in Israel as well as various moments of his trip to Israel. The beach stroll by both the leaders at Haifa's beach to see a demonstration of the mobile desalination unit became one of the highlights of Modi's visit. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was one of the first leaders to congratulate Modi after his election victory in the Lok Sabha elections in May this year. Lauding PM Modi's mandate he said, "the election results further reaffirm your leadership of the world's largest democracy." Netanyahu is expected to visit India on September 9. He had visited India in January 2018 to commemorate 25 years of the establishment of diplomatic ties with India.

PM Modi in Israel election campaign: Benjamin Netanyahu tweets WION video

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday (May 26) embarked on what he termed a "final effort" to break a deadlock in talks on forming a governing coalition ahead of a Wednesday deadline for a deal.

Netanyahu struggles to form government amid talk of new election

Israel is inching towards a new election as Prime Minister Benjamin <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahu-says-coalition-deal-still-possible-as-talk-of-new-polls-mounts-221841">Netanyahu's struggles</a> to form a government after April 9 national ballot.

In a preliminary vote, parliament decided to dissolve itself. In order to disperse and set a new election date, legislators would still have to hold a final vote which is likely to take place on Wednesday, the report added.

The deadline for Netanyahu to form a coalition is Wednesday.&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Netanyahu could form coalition government

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In power for the past decade and facing potential corruption charges, Netanyahu has struggled to <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israelis-protest-moves-to-grant-netanyahu-immunity-limit-supreme-court-221711/amp">seal an agreement</a> with a clutch of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties that would ensure him a fifth term.

Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and is due to argue against the attorney general's intention to indict him on fraud and bribery charges at a pre-trial hearing in October.

Netanyahu's Likud took 35 of the legislature's 120 seats, the same number as its main rival, the centrist Blue and White party, but had the pledged support of a bigger right-wing bloc.

"There are still 48 hours left to reach an agreement and I hope very much the legislation we are presenting now will not be needed and that common sense will prevail," Likud cabinet minister Zeev Elkin told parliament.

(With inputs from Reuters)

Israel is inching towards a new election as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's struggles to form a government after April 9 national ballot. In a preliminary vote, parliament decided to dissolve itself.

Israel is inching towards a new election as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's struggles to form a government after April 9 national ballot. In a preliminary vote, parliament decided to dissolve itself. In order to disperse and set a new election date, legislators would still have to hold a final vote which is likely to take place on Wednesday, the report added. The deadline for Netanyahu to form a coalition is Wednesday. Watch: Netanyahu could form coalition government In power for the past decade and facing potential corruption charges, Netanyahu has struggled to seal an agreement with a clutch of right-wing, far-right and ultra-Orthodox Jewish parties that would ensure him a fifth term. Netanyahu has denied any wrongdoing and is due to argue against the attorney general's intention to indict him on fraud and bribery charges at a pre-trial hearing in October. Netanyahu's Likud took 35 of the legislature's 120 seats, the same number as its main rival, the centrist Blue and White party, but had the pledged support of a bigger right-wing bloc. "There are still 48 hours left to reach an agreement and I hope very much the legislation we are presenting now will not be needed and that common sense will prevail," Likud cabinet minister Zeev Elkin told parliament. (With inputs from Reuters)

Israel moves towards new election as Netanyahu struggles to form government

Prime Minister<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/netanyahus-likud-party-gaining-slender-lead-against-gantz-israel-exit-polls-209161"> Benjamin Netanyahu was projected</a> to win a fifth term in office on Wednesday after nearly complete results from Israel's general election put him in position to form a right-wing coalition, media reports said.

The victory, despite corruption allegations against the 69-year-old premier, puts him on a path to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister later this year.

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His Likud party looked set to finish with a similar number of seats in parliament to his main rival, ex-military chief Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White alliance.

&nbsp;

But with 97 per cent of the vote counted, results showed Likud and other rightwing parties allied to him with some 65 seats in the 120-seat parliament, media reports said.

The close race between the two main parties had led to uncertainty after polls closed on Tuesday night and exit surveys were released.

Both Netanyahu and Gantz claimed victory after the initial exit surveys that gave Blue and White the most seats.

But even then Netanyahu appeared best placed to form a coalition, with both parties, in any case, falling far short of an outright majority.

Netanyahu spoke in the early hours of Wednesday at Likud's post-election party in Tel Aviv and called it a "magnificent victory."

As he walked onto the stage to chanting crowds, he planted a kiss on the lips of his wife Sara before dramatically wiping lipstick from his face.

"It will be a right-wing government, but I will be prime minister for all," he said.

Earlier, while addressing cheering supporters who waived Israeli flags at an event hall in Tel Aviv, Gantz called it a "historic day."

"The president must give us the task of forming the next government since we are the biggest party," he said after initial exit polls.

The vote had long been expected to be close and lead to frantic negotiations to form a coalition, even with Netanyahu facing potential corruption charges.

"Things can change, but in any case the right-wing bloc won," Meshi Sivani, 52 and wearing a Likud t-shirt, said at Netanyahu's post-election party.

Shushan Levi, 61, called Gantz's performance an "enormous victory for an alliance so new."

"Once he announced he was entering politics, I followed him," he said at Blue and White's party.&nbsp;

"He was my commander in the army 40 years ago."

Gantz, a newcomer to politics, mounted a strong challenge to the veteran prime minister by brandishing his security credentials while pledging to undo damage he says Netanyahu has inflicted on the country with divisive politics.

The election was in many ways a referendum on the 69-year-old premier who has built a reputation as the guarantor of the country's security and economic growth, but whose populism and alleged corruption have left many ready for change.

He engaged in populist rhetoric that critics said amounted to the demonisation of Arab Israelis and others.

Netanyahu faced further criticism on election day when members of his Likud party brought small cameras into polling stations in Arab areas.

Arab politicians called it an attempt at intimidation, while Netanyahu said cameras would prevent fraud.

True to form, Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge only three days before the election, saying he planned to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank should he win.

Extending Israeli sovereignty on a large-scale in the West Bank could be the death knell to already fading hopes for a two-state solution with the Palestinians.

It is a move long-sought by Israel's far right.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was projected to win a fifth term in office on Wednesday after nearly complete results from Israel's general election put him in position to form a right-wing coalition, media reports said.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was projected to win a fifth term in office on Wednesday after nearly complete results from Israel's general election put him in position to form a right-wing coalition, media reports said. The victory, despite corruption allegations against the 69-year-old premier, puts him on a path to become Israel's longest-serving prime minister later this year. His Likud party looked set to finish with a similar number of seats in parliament to his main rival, ex-military chief Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White alliance. But with 97 per cent of the vote counted, results showed Likud and other rightwing parties allied to him with some 65 seats in the 120-seat parliament, media reports said. The close race between the two main parties had led to uncertainty after polls closed on Tuesday night and exit surveys were released. Both Netanyahu and Gantz claimed victory after the initial exit surveys that gave Blue and White the most seats. But even then Netanyahu appeared best placed to form a coalition, with both parties, in any case, falling far short of an outright majority. Netanyahu spoke in the early hours of Wednesday at Likud's post-election party in Tel Aviv and called it a "magnificent victory." As he walked onto the stage to chanting crowds, he planted a kiss on the lips of his wife Sara before dramatically wiping lipstick from his face. "It will be a right-wing government, but I will be prime minister for all," he said. Earlier, while addressing cheering supporters who waived Israeli flags at an event hall in Tel Aviv, Gantz called it a "historic day." "The president must give us the task of forming the next government since we are the biggest party," he said after initial exit polls. The vote had long been expected to be close and lead to frantic negotiations to form a coalition, even with Netanyahu facing potential corruption charges. "Things can change, but in any case the right-wing bloc won," Meshi Sivani, 52 and wearing a Likud t-shirt, said at Netanyahu's post-election party. Shushan Levi, 61, called Gantz's performance an "enormous victory for an alliance so new." "Once he announced he was entering politics, I followed him," he said at Blue and White's party. "He was my commander in the army 40 years ago." Gantz, a newcomer to politics, mounted a strong challenge to the veteran prime minister by brandishing his security credentials while pledging to undo damage he says Netanyahu has inflicted on the country with divisive politics. The election was in many ways a referendum on the 69-year-old premier who has built a reputation as the guarantor of the country's security and economic growth, but whose populism and alleged corruption have left many ready for change. He engaged in populist rhetoric that critics said amounted to the demonisation of Arab Israelis and others. Netanyahu faced further criticism on election day when members of his Likud party brought small cameras into polling stations in Arab areas. Arab politicians called it an attempt at intimidation, while Netanyahu said cameras would prevent fraud. True to form, Netanyahu issued a deeply controversial pledge only three days before the election, saying he planned to annex Jewish settlements in the occupied West Bank should he win. Extending Israeli sovereignty on a large-scale in the West Bank could be the death knell to already fading hopes for a two-state solution with the Palestinians. It is a move long-sought by Israel's far right.

PM Benjamin Netanyahu projected to win Israel polls: Report

Prime Minister<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/minority-arabs-in-israel-object-to-cameras-at-polling-centres-209092"> Benjamin Netanyahu</a> was on a clearer path to victory on Wednesday in Israel's general election after updated exit polls showed him gaining ground on his main rival.

Two updated exit polls by Israeli television channels put his rightwing Likud ahead of rival Benny Gantz's Blue and White by one seat.&nbsp;

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hlX2J8fq6LE" width="560"></iframe>

One of the polls further improved his chances of forming a coalition government based on smaller rightwing parties allied to Netanyahu.

Israel's public broadcaster also cited early official results in projecting that Likud would win 40 seats out of 120 in parliament compared to Blue and White's 35, though only around 40 per cent of the votes were counted.

Both men claimed victory after initial exit polls were released following the closure of polling stations on Tuesday night.

Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term while facing the possibility of indictment on corruption charges.

Gantz, a former military chief, has put up a strong challenge with his centrist alliance.

Both men claimed victory after the exit surveys were released by Israel's three main television stations following the closure of polling places at 1900 GMT.

As the exit poll results came in, Netanyahu in a statement said "the right-wing bloc led by Likud won a clear victory."

"I thank the citizens of Israel for the trust. I will begin forming a right-wing government with our natural partners tonight."

The announcement of the exit polls brought a mixture of cheers and trepidation from their supporters gathered at post-election parties in Tel Aviv.

Exit polls have proven to be unreliable in past Israeli elections, and final official results were not expected until early Wednesday. 
&nbsp;

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on a clearer path to victory on Wednesday in Israel's general election after updated exit polls showed him gaining ground on his main rival.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was on a clearer path to victory on Wednesday in Israel's general election after updated exit polls showed him gaining ground on his main rival. Two updated exit polls by Israeli television channels put his rightwing Likud ahead of rival Benny Gantz's Blue and White by one seat. One of the polls further improved his chances of forming a coalition government based on smaller rightwing parties allied to Netanyahu. Israel's public broadcaster also cited early official results in projecting that Likud would win 40 seats out of 120 in parliament compared to Blue and White's 35, though only around 40 per cent of the votes were counted. Both men claimed victory after initial exit polls were released following the closure of polling stations on Tuesday night. Netanyahu is seeking a fifth term while facing the possibility of indictment on corruption charges. Gantz, a former military chief, has put up a strong challenge with his centrist alliance. Both men claimed victory after the exit surveys were released by Israel's three main television stations following the closure of polling places at 1900 GMT. As the exit poll results came in, Netanyahu in a statement said "the right-wing bloc led by Likud won a clear victory." "I thank the citizens of Israel for the trust. I will begin forming a right-wing government with our natural partners tonight." The announcement of the exit polls brought a mixture of cheers and trepidation from their supporters gathered at post-election parties in Tel Aviv. Exit polls have proven to be unreliable in past Israeli elections, and final official results were not expected until early Wednesday.

Netanyahu's Likud party gaining slender lead against Gantz: Israel exit polls

Israelis go to polls in referendum on PM Benjamin Netanyahu's record reign

Tayseer Barakat is like many Palestinians when asked about the upcoming Israeli elections. He doesn't see much hope.

"We have learned from past experience that we are always the victims of &nbsp;Israeli elections, and it doesn't seem there will be anything new," said 58-year-old Barakat.

"It is more than likely there will be no meaningful changes, despite our hopes that there will be something new to change the situation," he added as he walked with bags of groceries in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank.

Israel's upcoming elections could have a direct effect on the Palestinians, but many have little interest in who wins, having lost hope its more than 50-year occupation will end no matter which party is in charge.

Some who do express concern say they are worried the campaign could lead to an uptick in incitement against Palestinians.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current coalition is considered the most right-wing in Israel’s history and includes prominent members who rule out a Palestinian state while seeking aggressive settlement expansion.

Some call for annexing large parts of the West Bank.

Peace talks have been frozen since 2014.

The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has previously made a freeze on settlement building a pre-requisite to re-entering peace talks.

At the beginning of the election campaign it was widely assumed Netanyahu would win, despite being dogged by corruption allegations.

But former military chief Benny Gantz has emerged as a serious challenger, with polls showing his centrist Blue and White alliance slightly ahead of Netanyahu's Likud.

Under those polls, Gantz would still fall far short of an outright majority and it is unclear whether he could assemble enough parties to form a coalition.

'Separation' 
Early in the campaign, Gantz signalled openness to withdrawing settlers from parts of the West Bank.

His alliance's platform favours "separation from the Palestinians" but does not mention a two-state solution.

Palestinians initially saw encouraging signs, but Saleh Rafat, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee, said he now believes the policies of Gantz and Netanyahu are similar.

"So far we haven't seen fundamental differences between the right-wing and the centre party," he said.

"They are proposing a unified Jerusalem and to continue settlement and control over the Jordan Valley."

Israel seized mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and considers the entire city its capital. The Palestinians see the city's eastern sector as the capital of their future state.

Israel occupied the West Bank, including parts of the Jordan Valley, in 1967.&nbsp;

More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, communities considered illegal under international law.&nbsp;

The international community sees them as one of the largest obstacles to peace, though Israel disputes this while pointing to Palestinian attacks and what it calls incitement to violence.

Hafed Barghouti, a former Palestinian newspaper editor, said relative calm in the West Bank has led to less attention to the conflict in Israeli elections.

Israeli politics have also shifted firmly to the right in recent years.

"There is no Israeli party talking about the Palestinian issue. Those that do talk, do so in the language of a brutal occupation," he said.

"The right, centre and left agree to ignore the Palestinian issue and focus more on the legalisation of marijuana."

Whether to legalise recreational-use marijuana has received unexpected attention in the Israeli campaign.

The Israeli elections come amid ongoing animosity between the two main Palestinian factions, president Mahmud Abbas's West Bank-based Fatah and Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip.

The split between the two has made Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections impossible for more than a decade.&nbsp;

In recent days, Gaza has been a focus of Israeli political debate after a renewed flare-up of violence there.

Incitement 
Some are concerned the tensions around the elections could lead to more incitement in Israel against Palestinians and Arabs in general.

The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy recently launched a campaign highlighting hate speech in Israeli society against Palestinians.

"It seems to me that incitement and hatred are becoming a lot more normalised in Israeli society," PIPD's executive director Salem Barahmeh told AFP.

"The campaign rhetoric of many Israeli politicians seeks to dehumanise an entire population."

In the last elections in 2015 Netanyahu sought to stir up his right-wing base by warning on election day that Arab Israelis were going to the polls "in droves," a comment he later apologised for.

This year, he has been accused of demonising Arab Israeli politicians during his campaign.

He has also brokered a deal aimed at making it easier for an extreme-right party, which many view as racist against Arabs, to make it into parliament. 
&nbsp;

Tayseer Barakat is like many Palestinians when asked about the upcoming Israeli elections. He doesn't see much hope. "We have learned from past experience that we are always the victims of Israeli elections, and it doesn't seem there will be anything new," said 58-year-old Barakat.

Tayseer Barakat is like many Palestinians when asked about the upcoming Israeli elections. He doesn't see much hope. "We have learned from past experience that we are always the victims of Israeli elections, and it doesn't seem there will be anything new," said 58-year-old Barakat. "It is more than likely there will be no meaningful changes, despite our hopes that there will be something new to change the situation," he added as he walked with bags of groceries in Ramallah in the occupied West Bank. Israel's upcoming elections could have a direct effect on the Palestinians, but many have little interest in who wins, having lost hope its more than 50-year occupation will end no matter which party is in charge. Some who do express concern say they are worried the campaign could lead to an uptick in incitement against Palestinians. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's current coalition is considered the most right-wing in Israel’s history and includes prominent members who rule out a Palestinian state while seeking aggressive settlement expansion. Some call for annexing large parts of the West Bank. Peace talks have been frozen since 2014. The Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority has previously made a freeze on settlement building a pre-requisite to re-entering peace talks. At the beginning of the election campaign it was widely assumed Netanyahu would win, despite being dogged by corruption allegations. But former military chief Benny Gantz has emerged as a serious challenger, with polls showing his centrist Blue and White alliance slightly ahead of Netanyahu's Likud. Under those polls, Gantz would still fall far short of an outright majority and it is unclear whether he could assemble enough parties to form a coalition. 'Separation' Early in the campaign, Gantz signalled openness to withdrawing settlers from parts of the West Bank. His alliance's platform favours "separation from the Palestinians" but does not mention a two-state solution. Palestinians initially saw encouraging signs, but Saleh Rafat, a member of the Palestine Liberation Organisation's executive committee, said he now believes the policies of Gantz and Netanyahu are similar. "So far we haven't seen fundamental differences between the right-wing and the centre party," he said. "They are proposing a unified Jerusalem and to continue settlement and control over the Jordan Valley." Israel seized mainly Palestinian east Jerusalem in the 1967 Six-Day War and considers the entire city its capital. The Palestinians see the city's eastern sector as the capital of their future state. Israel occupied the West Bank, including parts of the Jordan Valley, in 1967. More than 600,000 Israelis live in settlements in east Jerusalem and the West Bank, communities considered illegal under international law. The international community sees them as one of the largest obstacles to peace, though Israel disputes this while pointing to Palestinian attacks and what it calls incitement to violence. Hafed Barghouti, a former Palestinian newspaper editor, said relative calm in the West Bank has led to less attention to the conflict in Israeli elections. Israeli politics have also shifted firmly to the right in recent years. "There is no Israeli party talking about the Palestinian issue. Those that do talk, do so in the language of a brutal occupation," he said. "The right, centre and left agree to ignore the Palestinian issue and focus more on the legalisation of marijuana." Whether to legalise recreational-use marijuana has received unexpected attention in the Israeli campaign. The Israeli elections come amid ongoing animosity between the two main Palestinian factions, president Mahmud Abbas's West Bank-based Fatah and Islamist movement Hamas, which controls the Gaza Strip. The split between the two has made Palestinian parliamentary and presidential elections impossible for more than a decade. In recent days, Gaza has been a focus of Israeli political debate after a renewed flare-up of violence there. Incitement Some are concerned the tensions around the elections could lead to more incitement in Israel against Palestinians and Arabs in general. The Palestine Institute for Public Diplomacy recently launched a campaign highlighting hate speech in Israeli society against Palestinians. "It seems to me that incitement and hatred are becoming a lot more normalised in Israeli society," PIPD's executive director Salem Barahmeh told AFP. "The campaign rhetoric of many Israeli politicians seeks to dehumanise an entire population." In the last elections in 2015 Netanyahu sought to stir up his right-wing base by warning on election day that Arab Israelis were going to the polls "in droves," a comment he later apologised for. This year, he has been accused of demonising Arab Israeli politicians during his campaign. He has also brokered a deal aimed at making it easier for an extreme-right party, which many view as racist against Arabs, to make it into parliament.

Palestinians see little hope in Israeli elections

Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday over his alleged dealings with the country’s largest telecommunication company, Israel Radio said, one of three corruption cases weighing on his political future.

A vehicle carrying police officers pulled up at the entrance of the prime minister's official residence, where a clutch of protesters called for Netanyahu to resign over the investigations.

Police declined immediate comment, but Israel Radio said Netanyahu was being questioned over allegations he awarded regulatory favours to Bezeq Telecom Israel in return for favourable coverage on a news site the company’s owner controls.

Netanyahu, who has been questioned twice before in so-called Case 4000, and Bezeq have denied wrongdoing.

In February, police recommended Netanyahu be charged with bribery in two other cases. Israel's attorney-general is still weighing whether to indict him.

In the first investigation, known as Case 1000, he is suspected of bribery over gifts from wealthy businessmen, which police say were worth nearly $300,000.

The other, Case 2000, involves an alleged plot to win positive coverage in Israel’s biggest newspaper by offering to take measures to curtail the circulation of a rival daily.

In both those cases, lawyers for Netanyahu said he has committed no crimes.

Despite the probes, the right-wing leader's popularity has risen in the past few weeks, a reflection, commentators said, of his tough security policies, US&nbsp;withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal he opposes, and the opening of the American Embassy in contested Jerusalem, a move Netanyahu has long advocated.

The surveys predicted that Netanyahu's Likud party, which heads a coalition largely comprised of right-wing and religious factions, would add up to four seats to the 30 it already holds in the 120-member parliament if an election were held now.

Israel is due to hold its next national ballot no later than November 2019.

A vehicle carrying police officers pulled up at the entrance of the prime minister's official residence, where a clutch of protesters called for Netanyahu to resign over the investigations

Israeli police questioned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday over his alleged dealings with the country’s largest telecommunication company, Israel Radio said, one of three corruption cases weighing on his political future. A vehicle carrying police officers pulled up at the entrance of the prime minister's official residence, where a clutch of protesters called for Netanyahu to resign over the investigations. Police declined immediate comment, but Israel Radio said Netanyahu was being questioned over allegations he awarded regulatory favours to Bezeq Telecom Israel in return for favourable coverage on a news site the company’s owner controls. Netanyahu, who has been questioned twice before in so-called Case 4000, and Bezeq have denied wrongdoing. In February, police recommended Netanyahu be charged with bribery in two other cases. Israel's attorney-general is still weighing whether to indict him. In the first investigation, known as Case 1000, he is suspected of bribery over gifts from wealthy businessmen, which police say were worth nearly $300,000. The other, Case 2000, involves an alleged plot to win positive coverage in Israel’s biggest newspaper by offering to take measures to curtail the circulation of a rival daily. In both those cases, lawyers for Netanyahu said he has committed no crimes. Despite the probes, the right-wing leader's popularity has risen in the past few weeks, a reflection, commentators said, of his tough security policies, US withdrawal from the Iran nuclear deal he opposes, and the opening of the American Embassy in contested Jerusalem, a move Netanyahu has long advocated. The surveys predicted that Netanyahu's Likud party, which heads a coalition largely comprised of right-wing and religious factions, would add up to four seats to the 30 it already holds in the 120-member parliament if an election were held now. Israel is due to hold its next national ballot no later than November 2019.

Benjamin Netanyahu questioned by Israeli police in telecom corruption case

The parliamentary chairman of Israel&#39;s ruling coalition has called for a rights group chief who condemned Israeli settlement construction at the United Nations to be stripped of his citizenship.

David Bitan, a leading member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu&#39;s right-wing Likud party, told Israel&#39;s Channel 2 TV late Friday that he was &quot;examining the legal possibility&quot; of doing so against B&#39;Tselem director Hagai El-Ad.

El-Ad attended a UN Security Council meeting on Israeli settlement construction in the occupied territories last week, where he spoke of 49 years of &quot;injustice known as the occupation of Palestine, and Israeli control of Palestinian lives in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem&quot;.&nbsp;

He called for &quot;decisive international action&quot; to bring settlement building to a halt.&nbsp;

Bitan said that &quot;El-Ad&#39;s actions at the Security Council, where he called for council members to take active measures against the country, constitute a flagrant abuse of confidence by an Israeli citizen against the state and he should therefore find another nationality.&quot;&nbsp;

Netanyahu too has described El-Ad&#39;s statement as &quot;an action against Israel&quot;.

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<h5>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also described El-Ad&#39;s statement as &#39;an action against Israel&#39;</h5>
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&quot;This is not appropriate,&quot; he wrote on Facebook, calling B&#39;Tselem &quot;marginal&quot; and &quot;delusional&quot;.

Analysts said Bitan&#39;s move to strip El-Ad of his citizenship had very little chance of success, as Israeli law only allows that in cases of &quot;terrorism, treason and spying&quot;.

El-Ad wrote on Twitter that &quot;@btselem and the Israelis supporting us will not be deterred.&quot;

&quot;For almost 50 years, Palestinians have no citizenship or rights. Today, @netanyahu&#39;s coalition head wanted to revoke my citizenship... because I spoke before the #UNSC against the occupation.&quot;

The leader of the anti-settlement Meretz party, Zehava Galon, accused Bitan of a &quot;very dangerous&quot; attempt to &quot;obtain political gains on the back of B&#39;Tselem&quot;.

Netanyahu heads what is widely regarded as the most right-wing government in Israel&#39;s history and several leading ministers oppose the creation of a Palestinian state.

(AFP)

B'Tselem director Hagai El-Ad had condemned Israeli settlement construction at a UN Security Council meeting last week

The parliamentary chairman of Israel's ruling coalition has called for a rights group chief who condemned Israeli settlement construction at the United Nations to be stripped of his citizenship. David Bitan, a leading member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party, told Israel's Channel 2 TV late Friday that he was "examining the legal possibility" of doing so against B'Tselem director Hagai El-Ad. El-Ad attended a UN Security Council meeting on Israeli settlement construction in the occupied territories last week, where he spoke of 49 years of "injustice known as the occupation of Palestine, and Israeli control of Palestinian lives in Gaza, the West Bank, and east Jerusalem". He called for "decisive international action" to bring settlement building to a halt. Bitan said that "El-Ad's actions at the Security Council, where he called for council members to take active measures against the country, constitute a flagrant abuse of confidence by an Israeli citizen against the state and he should therefore find another nationality." Netanyahu too has described El-Ad's statement as "an action against Israel". Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also described El-Ad's statement as 'an action against Israel' × "This is not appropriate," he wrote on Facebook, calling B'Tselem "marginal" and "delusional". Analysts said Bitan's move to strip El-Ad of his citizenship had very little chance of success, as Israeli law only allows that in cases of "terrorism, treason and spying". El-Ad wrote on Twitter that "@btselem and the Israelis supporting us will not be deterred." "For almost 50 years, Palestinians have no citizenship or rights. Today, @netanyahu's coalition head wanted to revoke my citizenship... because I spoke before the #UNSC against the occupation." The leader of the anti-settlement Meretz party, Zehava Galon, accused Bitan of a "very dangerous" attempt to "obtain political gains on the back of B'Tselem". Netanyahu heads what is widely regarded as the most right-wing government in Israel's history and several leading ministers oppose the creation of a Palestinian state. (AFP)

Senior Israel MP wants rights group chief stripped of citizenship

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