Elections are open in Israel's tight election race



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More than 6 million Israelis voted Tuesday in parliamentary elections considered a race between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former army chief Benny Gantz.

Benjamin Netanyahu, the leader of the 69-year-old right Party of Likud, Seeking a fifth term, but he also faces allegations of corruption.

Benny Gantz59 years old, the centrist's head Blue and white wedding band (Kahol Lavan), challenges Netanyahu on security and promises cleaner policies.

Ten thousand polling stations opened Tuesday morning across Israel and will close at 19:00 GMT. But the winner may not be decided immediately. No party has ever won an absolute majority in the 120-seat parliament, which means days or even weeks of coalition talks.

In a widely criticized attempt to lock in the extra right seats, Netanyahu negotiated an agreement in February easing the task of candidates from a far right party that many see as racist entering parliament.

Israeli Arabs make up nearly a fifth of the population, but studies suggest that less than half of those eligible to vote plan to do so.

Netanyahu becomes social
The prime minister posted a video on Twitter and Facebook inviting voters to make contact. He invited them to chat with him personally on Facebook Messenger.

Voters also reported receiving text messages inviting them to personally discuss with the Netanyahu.

Gantz, on the other hand, shared a video of himself set to music at the polling station.

Israeli daily & # 39;HaaretzJudge Hanan Melcer, chairman of Israel's central electoral commission, filed a police complaint after the Likud party provided activists on the right with 1,200 body cameras to monitor Arab polling stations.

Police are currently waiting for the decision of the Central Elections Committee to determine if the installation of the camera is an obstacle to the voting process.

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