Israel votes in keenly contested general elections

Jerusalem

Braving strong winds, Israelis on Tuesday began voting in a general elections in a tight race between ultra-rightist Benjamin Netanyahu and centrist Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni to elect a new government.

Though the country is still in combat with the Hamas militants in the Gaza strip despite a cease-fire, voters started trickling to polling stations from early.

Election commission officials announced the opening of 9263 polling stations across the country at 7 am local time to let around 53 lakh voters cast their votes on an off day from work, but a stormy weather may keep the undecided voters away leading to low voter turnout.

Opinion polls held till about four months ago predicted a clear victory for Netanyahu, but in the aftermath of Gaza war, a major chunk of his hardline voters deserted him for Yisrael Beteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman, who professes 'transfer of Arabs' and whose slogan 'No loyalty, No Citizenship' has struck a cord with younsters, bringing Likud close to its Kadima rivals.