UPDATE - Israelis head out to vote in Knesset elections

UPDATES WITH TURNOUT

By Abdel-Raouf Arnaout

JERUSALEM - Israelis on Tuesday headed out to cast votes in the Knesset elections.

The Central Elections Committee said the turnout reached 42.3% as of 04:00 p.m. local time (1400 GMT), down by 4.7% from the last elections that took place on March 2, 2020, according to Israeli Kan TV channel.

On Tuesday, the prime minister and chairman of the Likud Party (right), Benjamin Netanyahu, warned of a decline in the percentage of votes in the party's strongholds, calling on his supporters to come down.

This is the fourth time in two years elections are being held in Israel as political deadlock persists.

Many analysts have said that the fifth Knesset polls are looming as no single party will be able to secure simple majority in this election.

Polling stations will close at 10:00 p.m. local time (2000GMT).

More than 6.5 million Israeli citizens are expected to vote in this election, according to the Israeli Central Elections Committee.

The Israelis will vote in 13,685 ballot boxes scattered across the country.

Those infected with the coronavirus are allowed to vote at special centers without leaving their cars.

Some 39 lists will run in the elections, of which only 14 are likely to win, according to public opinion polls published in recent weeks.

Polls suggest the right-wing Likud party will top the winning lists, but the party's leader, Benjamin Netanyahu, is expected to face difficulties in forming a government that has the confidence of 61 votes in the 120-seat Israeli Knesset.

Official results will start to appear on Wednesday, although television channels are expected to announce unofficial results as soon as ballots close.

The Israeli police announced in a statement that 20,000 personnel will protect the polling stations.

*Writing by Ali Abo Rezeg and Mahmoud Barakat in Ankara