Voter turnout in Israel’s general election has reached 66.7 percent as of 6pm, the highest level ever recorded at this stage of polling.
The figure is nine percentage points higher than the 57.7 percent recorded at the same time during the 2022 election.
The record turnout comes as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party and its allies push for voting hours to be extended beyond 10pm, a move opposed by Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party.
Parties in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition are stepping up efforts to get supporters to vote in the final hours of Israel’s election.
Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich have coordinated efforts to boost turnout and are expected to hold an emergency meeting with dozens of local authority leaders, according to Smotrich’s Religious Zionism party.
Meanwhile, National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir has been going door to door in Bat Yam, urging residents to vote.
The push comes amid concerns within the coalition about high turnout in Arab communities and left-wing areas, with polling stations due to close at 10pm.
Voter turnout among Israeli soldiers has reached 68 percent as of 5pm, compared with 65 percent at the same point in the 2022 election, according to the IDF.
The military has set up 850 polling stations at bases across Israel and beyond its borders, including army posts in Gaza, Lebanon and Syria.
Voting among soldiers began a week ago to allow those serving in different locations to cast their ballots.
Defence Secretary Wes Streeting has defended his criticism of Benjamin Netanyahu’s government while declining to say who he would support in Israel’s election.
Asked by Channel 4 News whether peace would be more likely without Netanyahu in power, Streeting said: “That’s for the people of Israel to decide. Our job is to work with whoever the Israeli people elect.”
He added: “As a politician, it’s tempting to speculate – perhaps you can guess how I’d vote if I were an Israeli citizen – but I’m not.”
Streeting also stood by his previous warning that Netanyahu’s policies in Gaza were pushing Israel towards “pariah status”, saying: “I stand by those comments.”
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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued another election-day warning about Arab voter turnout, urging his supporters to head to the polls.
In a video shared on social media, Arab Israelis, apparently from Bedouin communities, can be seen riding horses and camels and travelling in cars in what appears to be an impromptu parade.
Text over the footage reads: “They’re racing to bring down the Right!”
The accompanying caption says: “They’re already celebrating in the strongholds of the Joint List and Ra’am. We must stop them! Get out and vote Likud!”
The message follows earlier claims by Netanyahu that Arab voters were “trying to steal the election”, prompting accusations of incitement from Arab party leaders.
Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party has opposed a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party to extend voting beyond 10pm.
Yashar said “no unusual incident has occurred that would justify approving the request” and accused Netanyahu of preparing to challenge the election’s integrity.
The ultra-Orthodox Shas party and far-right Otzma Yehudit have also joined Likud’s request to the Central Elections Committee.
Election officials have already confirmed that anyone still queuing at 10pm will be allowed to vote.
British-Israeli former Hamas hostage Emily Damari has cast her ballot in Israel’s general election, reflecting on the contrast between her time in captivity and her freedom today.
“Just think that just a year and-a-half ago I had to beg for water… Today I am free, and exercising my right to vote, which is also my duty,” she wrote on Instagram.
“To vote and influence the future of our country. I used to fight for the right to live, today I’m voting for how we live. Nothing should be taken for granted ????????”
Quite disgusting racism from Likud.
Voter turnout across Israel’s major cities ranged from 46 percent in Haifa to 51 percent in Rishon LeZion, according to figures shared by Israeli journalist Amit Segal at 3.27pm.
Turnout stood at 50 percent in Tel Aviv, 48 percent in Jerusalem and 47 percent in Be’er Sheva.
Among cities traditionally associated with Netanyahu’s Likud party, Afula recorded 51 percent turnout, Ashkelon 49 percent and Tiberias 47 per cent.
Bat Yam had the lowest turnout among the cities listed, at 40 percent.
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