parliament, and the party of acting Prime Minister Ehud Olmert was favored to win.
"We had information that if the Jews come to The Temple Mount, the Muslims will start violence. So we took the decision to close the Mount to Jews and tourists," Jerusalem police spokesman Shmulik Ben Ruby told the conservative Internet website WorldNetDaily. Muslims were reportedly allowed to enter The Temple Mount.
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, now in a coma following a massive stroke, visited The Temple Mount in 2000, saying he came with a message of peace, but Palestinians claim his visit sparked years of renewed violence.
SECURITY ISSUE
The tensions surrounding the Temple Mount underscored the main issue of Tuesday’s ballot: security.
Olmert has said he wants to accomplish his stated goal of drawing Israel’s final border with Palestinians to overcome the violence and create a more peaceful era.
Analysts say that although Olmert’s centrist Kadima is heavily favored to win, it has slipped recently in the polls and will likely form a broad coalition.
SOLDIERS VOTING
Voting began early Tuesday, March 28, and soldiers participated in the election including at a mobile army polling station at a military outpost in Kerem Shalom, on the border with Israel and the Gaza Strip.
Over five million Israelis were eligible to cast ballots at more than 8,000 polling stations, across the country. Police spokesman Mickey Rosenfeld told reporters that election security is the top priority. "There are over 22,000 policemen that will be on patrol," Rosenfeld added.
Election Day is a state holiday in Israel and voting was expected to end at 2200 local time with exit polls expected shortly after. (With BosNewsLife Research and reports from Israel).
