Polls open in Israel election

Jerusalem: Israelis began voting on Tuesday in their fifth election in less than four years, with veteran leader Benjamin Netanyahu campaigning for a comeback alongside far-right allies.

As polls opened on Tuesday, final opinion polls published last week, however, showed him still short of the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset, opening the prospect of weeks of coalition wrangling and possibly new elections.

Security and surging prices have topped the list of voter concerns in a campaign triggered by outgoing Prime Minister Yair Lapid's decision to seek an early election following defections from his ruling coalition.