Israel Votes: Netanyahu's Toughest Test as Final Polls Point to Deadlock

Israel's longest-serving prime minister, endorsed by President Trump, faces former army chief Gadi Eisenkot in an election final polls say neither bloc can win outright. Here is what to watch as the votes are counted.

By Clara Hughes

Israelis went to the polls Tuesday in an election that could end, or extend, the career of the most consequential Israeli leader of his generation. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, 76, has led Israel for a total of 19 years, longer than anyone in the country's history, Reuters reported. He is seeking another term against a challenger with deep security credentials: Gadi Eisenkot, a former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, whose Yashar party has led the final opinion polls. Polls opened at 7 a.m. and close at 10 p.m. local time (20:00 GMT, 4 p.m. Eastern), when the first exit polls are released. About 7.3 million Israelis are eligible to vote, including roughly 330,000 voting for the first time, according to Reuters. Turnout is running high Early signs point to