The Israeli polls' unofficial results indicate that the two main rivals, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the Likud party, and the former IDF chief of staff Benny Grant, the leader of the Blue and White party, are locked in a race too close to call.
According to the Kan public broadcaster, as reported by the BBC, the exit poll indicates that PM Netanyahu and his close rival are both locked at 32 seats each, with over 96.9% votes having been counted.
The unofficial results also indicate that the Israeli Arab Joint List is on 12 seats; Yisrael Beiteinu on nine; the ultra-Orthodox parties on 17 between them; the right-wing Yamina alliance on seven; Labour-Gesher on 6 and the centre-left Democratic Camp on 5
To be allowed to form a government, one needs to garner a clear majority of 61 seats in the Knesset ( Parliament) failure to which the president will select one of the top contenders to form a coalition government.
In the last election, five months ago, the two leading contenders both secured 35 seats in the Knesset. On that occasion, the president allowed PM Netanyahu to form a coalition government but he failed to secure the shortfall of 26 seats , Grant was never given a chance.
The leading contenders will both hope for better fortunes even as they wait for the offical results to be confirmed.
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