Israeli election too close to call

Voting has closed in Israel, but the results are too close to call: early exit polls suggest that Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and more liberal challenger Isaac Herzog are projected to win the same number of seats. Special correspondent Martin Seemungal reports from Tel Aviv.

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  • JUDY WOODRUFF:

    Voters in Israel cast their ballots today to decide the future of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Voting ended just a few hours ago, and at this moment, it's too close to call.

    However, it is clear that the leader outperformed the latest poll predictions.

    We begin our coverage with a report from special correspondent Martin Seemungal.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    It's a dead heat, both Prime Minister Netanyahu and challenger Isaac Herzog projected to win 27 seats, according to the first exit polls released tonight, the race too close to call, and a tough road ahead for either camp to build a majority coalition.

    Israel's largely ceremonial president, Reuven Rivlin, does have the serious job of deciding which candidate will get to take the first shot. With hopes of a fourth term in the balance, Netanyahu cast his vote this morning in Jerusalem. He made a last-ditch Election Day pitch:

  • BENJAMIN NETANYAHU, Prime Minister, Israel (through interpreter):

    In order to prevent the left-wing parties from governing, there's just one thing that needs to be done, to close the gap between Likud and Labor and to vote for Likud.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    The Labor Party standard-bearer, Isaac Herzog, cast his vote in Tel Aviv, as did his Zionist Union coalition partner, Tzipi Livni.

    By mid-morning, voter turnout was 20 percent higher than the past two previous elections, a clear indication that Israelis see this as a pivotal election, a close race, where every single vote will count.

    Gill Galanos lives abroad, but came back to vote.

    You came all the way from the U.S. to vote.

  • GILL GALANOS:

    Yes.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    Why?

  • GILL GALANOS:

    Because it's important. It's one of the most important elections in the past two decades. I would assume so. I wanted my vote to count.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    At this Tel Aviv polling station, Israelis we spoke to were split, the battle on the national stage in miniature. Some voted for Isaac Herzog's center-left alliance.

  • ROY KAROUTCHI:

    Now when you are thinking about the economic pressure here in Israel and everything, you think maybe this is a time for a change.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    Others refusing to turn their back on Netanyahu and Likud.

  • YORAN INGLANDER:

    I am not changed.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    Why?

  • YORAN INGLANDER:

    Because I am stability, and I am Likudnik.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    Also voting today, Arab Israelis, who make up 20 percent of Israel's population, four parties united under a Joint Arab List, hoping to gain as many as 15 of the 120 seats in Israel's Parliament, the Knesset.

    Their fervor led Netanyahu to make a stark statement at midday. Via social media, he pleaded for right-wing voters to head to the polls.

  • BENJAMIN NETANYAHU (through interpreter):

    The right-wing government is in danger. Arab voters are going to vote in droves. Left-wing groups are bring them in buses.

  • MARTIN SEEMUNGAL:

    The appeal was denounced as a desperate attempt to ensure reelection and came amid a sharp turn to the right by Netanyahu. Yesterday, he seemingly reversed years of Israeli government commitment to the eventual creation of a Palestinian state.

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