of staff at the homeland security department during the trump administration. welcome to the programme. the votes are being counted in israel, in the fifth election the country has staged in under four years. the voters have before them two coalitions the hard right bloc led by benjamin netanyahu, and a coalition of right, leftist and arab parties led by the current prime minister yair lapid. netanyahu, remember, is still facing charges of bribery, fraud and breach of trust, and yet, in spite of it all, the first exit polls that emerged in the last hour suggest he could be on the brink of a record sixth term. this is how the coverage began. showing netanyahu s likud party on 31 seats, against yair lapid predicted 2a seats. we bring in our middle east correspondent. let s bring in our middle east correspondent tom bateman. as says that the exit polls are a good start. how trustworthy of the exit polls in israel? exit polls in israel? they tend to be broadly exit polls in
so so conservative state in which religion takes precedence on everything else. these are basically themes on which israel is completely polarised. and also which obviously make this election a polarising election in europe, but not actually on the one thing that matters most to europeans which is precisely the fate of the israeli palestinian, think is radio listening conference, which has been pushed to one side, notjust in the selection but previous elections, since the start of a roving around the figure of netanyahu himself. it’s start of a roving around the figure of netanyahu himself. of netanyahu himself. it s ust so ha ens, of netanyahu himself. it s ust so happens. miles. fl of netanyahu himself. it s ust so happens, miles, that h of netanyahu himself. it s ust so happens, miles, that at h of netanyahu himself. it sjust so happens, miles, that at this - of netanyahu himself. it sjust so - happens, miles, that at this moment, we are looking at israel, brazil, the uni