Israel makes final preparations for election

The final preparations of Israel's general elections are being done by the election authorities. The elections are due on April 9 this year.

Ballot boxes being prepared by election staff

Published : Mar 6, 2019, 9:24 PM IST

Shoham: Israel's elections authorities are making the final preparations ahead of the April 9 general election with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking more vulnerable than ever.

Netanyahu almost certainly faces indictment on corruption charges in the coming months pending a hearing demanded by Israel's attorney general.

His main challenger, Benny Gantz leads him in the polls, and he is taking the heat even from his supporters for forming an alliance with an ultranationalist party.

Also Read:Rifts with US 'not negotiable': Hassan Rouhani

At a logistics centre just outside Jerusalem, election staff were busy putting election material in ballot boxes before they get sent to regional centres.

The voting material will then be distributed to polling stations with close to six million registered voters eligible to vote for the 120-member Israeli legislature, known as the Knesset.

The last time a government served its full term was in 1988. Since then, elections have almost always been moved because of a coalition crisis or as a strategic move by the prime minister to maximize his chance of re-election.

Shoham: Israel's elections authorities are making the final preparations ahead of the April 9 general election with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looking more vulnerable than ever.

Netanyahu almost certainly faces indictment on corruption charges in the coming months pending a hearing demanded by Israel's attorney general.

His main challenger, Benny Gantz leads him in the polls, and he is taking the heat even from his supporters for forming an alliance with an ultranationalist party.

Also Read:Rifts with US 'not negotiable': Hassan Rouhani

At a logistics centre just outside Jerusalem, election staff were busy putting election material in ballot boxes before they get sent to regional centres.

The voting material will then be distributed to polling stations with close to six million registered voters eligible to vote for the 120-member Israeli legislature, known as the Knesset.

RESTRICTION SUMMARY: AP CLIENTS ONLY
SHOTLIST:
ASSOCIATED PRESS - AP CLIENTS ONLY
Vienna, Austria - 6 March 2019
1. Iranian delegation leaving hotel
2. Iranian delegation leaving hotel, pan right to follow
3. Media
4. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi being interviewed by reporters
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister:
"We hope that in the coming weeks INSTEX (German, French and UK payment channel to Iran) will become operational. This is for all goods and commodities, not only humanitarian goods. But maybe it starts from humanitarian in order to set the patterns for doing business with Iran. And once the patterns are set, then other kinds of goods including sanctioned goods and oil, of course, would be added to this mechanism. It is late but still a move in the right direction."
6. Microphones
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister:
"We received very strong support by all JCPOA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action or Iran nuclear deal) participants to the deal itself and they acknowledged that the deal can survive only if Iran can receive the benefits of the deal. And they have committed themselves to continue working on mechanisms which let Iran benefit from sanction-lifting."
8. Aragchi speaking to reporters
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Abbas Araghchi, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister:
"There are working groups, there are expert meetings between us. And the next expert meeting will be on Instex by E3 and the European Union in Tehran very soon. And Mr (Per) Fischer – the managing director of INSTEX will visit Iran very soon."
10. Araghchi leaving surrounded by reporters
11. Araghchi's car leaving
STORYLINE:
Envoys from the European Union, Russia and China were meeting with Iran on Wednesday to discuss how to press ahead with the Iranian nuclear deal, despite the US's decision to pull out of the accord.
The conference, in Vienna, was led by European Union diplomat Helga Schmid and Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Araghchi expressed optimism that progress was being made so that Iran can experience the benefits of "sanction-lifting."
It's the latest in a series of regular meetings between the parties to check on the state of the deal, known formally as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA).
But it's the first since the EU unveiled its so-called Special Purpose Vehicle, a mechanism designed to enable EU governments and businesses to trade with Iran without falling foul of US sanctions on Iran.
On Monday, the UN nuclear watchdog confirmed that Iran has been fulfilling its obligations under the JCPOA.
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Israel makes final preparations for election

The final preparations of Israel's general elections are being done by the election authorities. The elections are due on April 9 this year.

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