Israel's leading parties in a dead heat ahead of high-stakes election

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Israeli authorities locked down the city of Hebron after a gun attack just days ahead of a tight vote in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is battling for reelection.
The leading parties in next week’s election were in a dead heat, a new poll showed, though both are short of a majority, meaning they would need to ally with minority parties.
The outcome of those negotiations could have “profound” implications for Palestinians and Israel’s relations with neighboring states, according to analysts.
Though both candidates oppose the creation of a Palestinian state, they differ significantly on the question of Israeli settlements, a key issue in the election. “This is existential,” a Palestinian-Israeli lawyer told the Financial Times.

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