Israelis Vote Again, As Political Crisis Grinds On

Israel's fifth election in three years has mired the country in an unprecedented political crisis that has eroded faith in democratic institutions.

For the fifth time since 2019, Israelis were voting in national elections on Tuesday, hoping to break the political deadlock that has paralyzed the country for the past three and a half years.

Again, the vote centers around former premier Benjamin Netanyahu's fitness to lead while he faces corruption charges. And while polls predict another stalemate, Netanyahu is looking to the surging power of far-right lawmaker Itamar Ben-Gvir to propel him back to power.

Election officials said that by 2 p.m. local time, turnout stood at 38.9%, the highest at that time since 1999. But there was no breakdown of the vote that might show who was benefitting.