Diplomats at Israel's embassy in London cast vote for election

Ambassador Mark Regev votes as the country goes to the polls on 2 March, with more than 5,000 representatives around the world taking part in the third election within 12 months

Diplomatic staff at the Israeli Embassy in London voted for the 30th Knesset this week, marking the 23rd time envoys have participated in an election from Kensington.

The country goes to the polls on 2 March but more than 5,000 Israeli representatives in almost 100 missions around the world need to cast their postal votes this week, in order for them to be returned and counted on time.

Incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu learned this week that his trial would begin just two weeks after Israelis return to the voting booths for the third time in a year. With polling still close, he could yet form the next government.

After the latest vote in September, negotiations over a possible government of national unity took place between Netanyahu’s Likud and the Blue and White party led by former army chief Benny Gantz, and the Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid.

????Israel’s third general election in a year. We do democracy at least three times better than anywhere else in the Middle East! ????????#IsraElex2020 pic.twitter.com/1418pd84rH

— Mark Regev (@MarkRegev) February 19, 2020