New Delhi, Oct 15 (IANS) Israeli Ambassador to India Reuven Azar cast his vote in New Delhi on Thursday ahead of Israel’s October 27 parliamentary elections, highlighting the early voting arrangement for diplomats serving overseas.
In a post on X, the Israeli Embassy in India shared the update on Ambassador Azar’s participation in the electoral process from the world’s largest democracy.
“Voting for Israel in the world’s largest democracy! Ambassador Reuven Azar casts his vote in New Delhi ahead of Israel’s October 27 elections. Fun fact: Israelis serving at embassies around the world vote early so their ballots make it home in time!” the Embassy stated.
Meanwhile, Israeli diplomats at the Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai also participated in the electoral process, casting their ballots ahead of the elections.
“Today, Israeli diplomats at the Consulate General of Israel in Mumbai cast their votes for the Knesset elections, joining fellow Israelis around the world in shaping the country’s future. Every vote counts, whether cast in Jerusalem or Mumbai,” the Consulate General of Israel to Mid-West India posted on X.
With nearly two weeks remaining before the elections, opinion polls published by Israeli media outlets Maariv, Channel 13 and KAN News point to an inconclusive contest.
Prime Ministerial candidate Gadi Eisenkot’s Yashar party leads in all three surveys, but neither political bloc appears likely to secure the 61 seats required for a majority in the Knesset, The Jerusalem Post reported.
The polling average places Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party Likud bloc, which includes Ofer Winter’s People of Israel party, and the Zionist opposition at around 52 seats each.
Variations in the survey results and the performance of parties close to the electoral threshold could prove decisive in determining who forms the next government.
Channel 13’s survey puts Eisenkot’s Yashar and Netanyahu’s Likud at 20 seats each, with Eisenkot’s party down one seat and Likud up one. Netanyahu’s bloc is projected to win 55 seats, against 50 for Eisenkot’s camp, while Arab parties outside the two blocs are expected to collectively secure 15 seats.
Under Israeli law, general elections for parliament are supposed to be held every four years.
Netanyahu currently heads a narrow coalition that includes far-right and ultra-Orthodox factions.
–IANS
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