First ballots cast in Israeli elections as staff vote at diplomatic missions around the world

Mr Regev described how the ballot papers would be “sent back to Israel in a closed diplomatic bag, and on election day in Israel they are counted with everyone else’s.”

The election will take place in Israel on Tuesday April 9, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu facing the most serious electoral challenge in a decade.

Current polling suggests that Blue & White, the coalition between Benny Gantz, the former IDF Chief of Staff and Yair Lapid, may win the most Knesset seats under Israel’s proportional representation voting system, giving them the first opportunity to attempt to form a coalition government.

There are 43 different options on the ballot paper; however, only around a dozen are deemed likely to reach the 3.25 per cent threshold necessary in order to gain seats in the Knesset.

Unlike many other countries, the majority of Israeli expatriates living abroad are required to return home to Israel in order to vote. Exceptions to the rule include Israeli diplomats, members of trade missions and staff of El Al, Israel’s national airline.