- Title: WEST BANK: Israeli soldiers cast votes in West Bank army base
- Date: 21st January 2013
- Summary: ARMY BASE, WEST BANK (JANUARY 21, 2013) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS GATHERED OUTSIDE POLLING STATION AT MILITARY CAMP LIST OF PARTY HANGING ON WALL SOLDIER STANDING BEHIND VOTING BOOTH VARIOUS OF SOLDIER CASTING HIS BALLOT OFFICER FILLING IN VOTER'S DETAILS VARIOUS OF FEMALE SOLDIER VOTING EXTERIOR OF POLLING STATION
- Embargoed: 5th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: West bank
- City:
- Country: Palestinian Territories
- Topics: Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAD3B1VXINHDOBCTHK6ZR9LL2SK
- Story Text: Israeli soldiers cast their ballots on Monday (January 21) at a West Bank military base as the country's civilians prepared for general elections slated for Tuesday (January 22).
At a military base near the divided West Bank city of Hebron, soldiers in uniform queued up outside a small voting room. Unlike civilians, soldiers don't get a day off on election day.
The first polling station opened on Saturday (January 19). Over 700 voting offices will be set up in army bases across the country on Tuesday (January 22), according to an army spokesperson.
Two polls on Friday (January 18) showed Israel's right-wing and religious bloc winning a slim parliamentary majority of 63 out of 120 seats, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-Beitenu group on course to be the largest party in the Knesset, albeit with eroding support.
Security for the country is likely to remain the government's priority with Netanyahu saying that dealing with Iran's nuclear ambitions is most important for him. Israel and the West suspect that Iran is working to develop nuclear weapons, an allegation Teheran denies.
Despite the slippage in polls, Netanyahu is still in prime position to secure a third term in office. But a relatively weak showing at the ballot box would make him more susceptible to the demands of his prospective coalition partners. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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