Israel votes for third time in 12 months

Israelis were voting for a third time in 12 months on Monday, with embattled Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeking to end the country's political crisis and save his career.

The vote comes just two weeks before the right-wing premier stands trial over a series of corruption allegations, but final polls indicated his support was holding, suggesting another close race between his Likud and the centrist Blue and White party.

Both will almost certainly fall well short of a majority in Israel's proportional system and the winner will seek to form a coalition with multiple smaller parties.

After elections in both April and September last year neither were able to do so, and a similar deadlock remains possible.

With few undecided in a divided country of 6.4 million eligible voters, turnout will be key and all parties were campaigning to get their supporters to the polls.

Netanyahu, in power since 2009, said Sunday internal polls suggested they were close to winning and finally breaking the political deadlock.

"We are very close to victory," Israel's longest-serving premier told a press conference. "Leave your homes and vote Likud." Blue and White leader Benny Gantz, a former military general, urged supporters to vote and end Netanyahu's divisive rule.

"You can't just sit at home clicking your tongue, saying 'what's happening here,'" Gantz told public radio Sunday. "Get out and vote."