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| Israel election: No clear winner, exit polls suggest | Israel election: No clear winner, exit polls suggest |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Neither Israel's governing Likud party nor the opposition Zionist Union has a clear lead in Israel's general election, exit polls suggest. | Neither Israel's governing Likud party nor the opposition Zionist Union has a clear lead in Israel's general election, exit polls suggest. |
| Exit polls by two Israeli broadcasters gave both sides 27 seats each in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset. | Exit polls by two Israeli broadcasters gave both sides 27 seats each in the 120-seat parliament, the Knesset. |
| Both would need support from other parties to form a governing coalition. | |
| Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the vote as a "great victory" for his Likud party, which is credited with a better result than expected. | |
| Likud had trailed the centre-left Zionist Union in opinion polls last week, correspondents say. | |
| However, Zionist Union, headed by Yitzhak Herzog, said that the "spin" from Likud was "premature" and everything was "possible until the real results are in". | |
| Final results are not expected until Wednesday morning. | Final results are not expected until Wednesday morning. |
| When results are known, Israel's president will give the task of forming a government to a party leader who he thinks has the strongest chance of assembling a coalition. | When results are known, Israel's president will give the task of forming a government to a party leader who he thinks has the strongest chance of assembling a coalition. |
| Mr Netanyahu could become Israel's longest-serving leader if he secures a fourth term. | |
| No party has ever won an outright majority under Israel's proportional representation voting system. | No party has ever won an outright majority under Israel's proportional representation voting system. |
| More than 71% of those eligible voted in the election, which ended at 22:00 local time (20:00 GMT). | |
| Israel's Channel 1 and Channel 10 both projected 27 seats each for Likud and Zionist Union, while Channel 2 gave Likud a one-seat lead, with 28 seats. | Israel's Channel 1 and Channel 10 both projected 27 seats each for Likud and Zionist Union, while Channel 2 gave Likud a one-seat lead, with 28 seats. |
| The Joint Arab List, an alliance of Israeli Arab-dominated parties, has come third with about 13 seats, exit polls suggest. | The Joint Arab List, an alliance of Israeli Arab-dominated parties, has come third with about 13 seats, exit polls suggest. |
| It has said, however, that it will not take any positions in government. | It has said, however, that it will not take any positions in government. |