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Polls close in Israeli election Polls close in Israeli election
(10 minutes later)
Polls have closed in Israel's general election, with a higher than expected turnout despite poor weather and fears of voter apathy. Counting is under way in Israel after polls closed in the country's snap general elections.
Results are expected to be close in the snap poll called by PM Ehud Olmert, who stood aside corruption allegations. Results are expected to be close, with preliminary exit polls giving the ruling Kadima Party 30 seats to the 29 for the opposition Likud.
Opposition leader Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud was front-runner, ahead of Tzipi Livni of the governing Kadima party. Right-wing Yisrael Beitenu is forecast to be third, pushing Labour into an unprecedented fourth place.
However, first exit polls suggest that Kadima has won 30 seats ahead of the Likud party on 28. The first official results are not expected for several hours. Final results will come within days.
Right-winger Mr Netanyahu had enjoyed an opinion-poll lead over centrist Ms Livni, but the gap narrowed in the days before the poll. Cheers erupted at Kadima's headquarters as the exit polls were announced on Israeli TV.
Some analysts put them neck-and-neck in the final run-up.
The first official results are expected in several hours. Exit polls are not always reliable.
But cheers erupted at Kadima's headquarters as the exit polls were announced on Israeli TV.
Earlier, Likud spokesman Roni Rimon expressed dismay as internal polling indicated Kadima was closing the gap.Earlier, Likud spokesman Roni Rimon expressed dismay as internal polling indicated Kadima was closing the gap.
"There is a sense of a missed opportunity. We had in the past a lead of up to five or six seats over Kadima and now we are down to one," he said."There is a sense of a missed opportunity. We had in the past a lead of up to five or six seats over Kadima and now we are down to one," he said.
After Mr Olmert announced last year he was stepping down, Ms Livni attempted to form a new government without elections but failed. Elections were called early after Kadima leader Tzipi Livni failed to form a new government following Mr Olmert's decision to step down last year amid a corruption probe against him.