Exit polls in Israel: too close to call

Exit polls in the Israeli election show a dead heat between Netanyahu's Likud Party and the Zionist Union led by Herzog.    Of the three polls, two showed Likud with a one-seat advantage, the other showed a tie with 27 each.   Coming in third with 13 seats was the Joint List, made up Palestinian citizens.

Netanyahu closed the Zionists' lead there in the final days when the undecideds made up their minds.   His last-minute vow never to allow a two-state solution,  probably helped him with the hard-liners, although some thought it would backfire -- as it certainly did in this country.   And it might still work against him in the outcome, if it induces the Palestinians to throw their 13 seats in with Herzog.

Assuming these polls are correct, it now becomes a contest as to which one can put together a coalition of 61 seats for a majority.   This could take days to weeks to settle.

Ralph