Voting stations across Israel have closed and the exit polls predict that the right-wing bloc led by Benjamin Netanyahu will hold a thin majority in the next Knesset, making the former prime minister the most likely to be asked to form a government. In a shock triumph for the far right, the Religious Zionism party headed by Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich is forecast to become the third-largest party in the Knesset.
Left-wing Meretz party, which in most recent polls earned five Knesset seats, is nearing the electoral threshold with four predicted seats in exit polls.
Left-wing Meretz party, which in most recent polls earned five Knesset seats, is nearing the electoral threshold with four predicted seats in exit polls.