Israel's election result is messy - here's why

A dramatic deadlock had been widely forecast as Israelis surged to the polls – with turnout reaching more than 77%.

Despite the historic number of voters, no clear winner has emerged. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is calling for a “strong” right-wing government and his Likud is set to be the biggest party in the Knesset, Israel’s parliament

However, Netanyahu’s main rival, the former army chief Gadi Eisenkot, has insisted Israel voted to end Netanyahu’s term.

But with neither party securing a clear majority, what does this mean for the future of Israel?

The BBC’s Yolande Knell reports from Jerusalem.

Related topics

• Middle East
• Israel
• Benjamin Netanyahu
• Jerusalem