Israeli voters decided Tuesday whether to give Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu another term in office in a tight election that has become a referendum on his decade in power.
Clouded by a series of looming corruption indictments, Netanyahu is seeking a fourth consecutive term and a fifth overall, which would make him Israel's longest-serving leader, surpassing founding father David Ben-Gurion.
Arab voters appeared poised to play a role in the outcome -- by not voting. In the early evening, experts and officials said Arab turnout was extremely low -- a trend that could help hand Netanyahu victory. Election day in Israel is a national holiday, with warm and sunny weather expected to boost turnout. By midafternoon, turnout levels were slightly lower than in the last election in 2015.
The Israeli government needs a parliamentary majority to rule, and since no party has ever earned more than half of the 120 seats in the Knesset, a coalition is required. In the campaign's final days, Netanyahu has veered to the right and embarked on a media blitz in which he portrayed himself as the underdog, frantically warning that "the right-wing government is in danger."
Arab parties accused Likud of trying to intimidate voters. Likud officials declined comment, though Netanyahu said there "should be cameras everywhere, not hidden" to ensure a legitimate vote.
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