Election Committee Vetoes Netanyahu’s Press Conference

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a press conference four hours before polls close on Tuesday, but the Israeli Central Election Committee has vetoed his decision.

TEL AVIV (Sputnik) – The Israeli Central Election Committee has vetoed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's live press conference, The Times of Israel reported on Tuesday.

Netanyahu called a press conference for 5.45 p.m. local time (3:45 GMT) on Tuesday, four hours before polls close.

However, two opposition parties — Zionist Union and Yesh Atid — appealed to Supreme Court Justice Salim Joubran heading the Central Election Committee, asking to cancel the event, which breaches rules in Israel prohibiting campaigning on Election Day.

Today's national elections in Israel will determine the composition of the new Knesset, Israel's parliament, and of the government.

The main rivals are the Likud party, headed by current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and the opposition Zionist Union, led by Isaac Herzog.

According to the latest opinion polls, the prime minister's party has a good chance of losing the elections to the center-left Zionist Union, political alliance of the Israeli Labor Party and Hantuah, taking 22 seats versus the Union's 26 in the 120-strong Knesset.