More than 6.7 million Israelis are called to the polls in what are the fifth elections since April 2019.

The process is marked by the rise of the extreme right and the attempts of the small Arab parties to gather the votes of the minority, which amounts to 21 percent of the national population.

Power is being contested by the right-wing opposition bloc, led by Netanyahu, and a coalition that comprises a mixture of conservative, left, center and Islamist parties and backs interim Prime Minister Yair Lapid, whose only common point is defeating Netanyahu.

According to the Kan public television, the elections will cost more than 2.6 billion shekels (about 734 million dollars).

jrr/llp/jcm/rob