Jerusalem: Voting is under way in Israel's general elections.
Opinion polls suggest
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will emerge once again in the strongest
position, but the balance among his coalition partners will likely be
significantly shifted.
Netanyahu cast his
ballot in Jerusalem shortly after polling stations opened.
"We want Israel to succeed, [so] we vote Likud-Beitenu.
That's why. The bigger [Likud-Yisrael Beiteinu] is, the more Israel will
succeed, and my entire family concurs with me completely," Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu said he
hoped for a "flood of votes" for the right-wing alliance between his
Likud Party and secular nationalists Yisrael Beiteinu.
Polls show that while
Likud-Beitenu is expected to retain a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, the two
parties are likely to lose some 10 seats. That's largely due to the appearance
of a newcomer on Israel's political scene.
The ultranationalist
Jewish Home party of Naftali Bennett has been the surprise of the campaign so
far.
The 40-year-old
Bennett has been described as the new "rock star" of Israeli
politics, targeting the youth vote and voters from the former Soviet Union.
Bennett also spoke to
reporters after casting his ballot in Raanana.
"Our goal is to unite all of the state of Israel -- the
religious, the nonreligious, the secular, the ultrareligious, the Arabs, the
Jews -- everyone together, to unite and do some good things for this great
nation," Bennett said.
Jewish Home is
predicted to win only some 15 seats in the Knesset but that is a significant
increase from the three seats the party won in 2009.
Bennett's rise could
complicate the prospects for progress in relations with the Palestinians.
He has been cheered
on the campaign trail when telling supporters he will do everything he can to
prevent the emergence of a Palestinian state "within the Land of
Israel," as he puts it.
Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.
Copyright (c) 2013. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.