"This is horrible. Horrible. We deserve better than this," said a Tel Aviv resident.
Israel goes to the polls - again - on Monday in the country's third general election in 12 months.
Similar to previous elections, this round is characterized by mudslinging, racism, threats, hurled insults, accusations and fear-mongering. Israelis admit there's a tremendous dose of uncertainty accompanying this round - not different from previous rounds. Most Israelis believe the process of forming a government will be deadlocked again and that at least a fourth round of voting will ensue.
A photo of a despaired resident in Tel Aviv, Israel. Stephanie Freid/CGTN
What's the problem?
Last minute polling shows the same stats Israel's public saw in previous rounds of elections: Benjamin Netanyahu's right wing Likud party is tied for the most votes with former chief-of-staff Benny Gantz's centrist Blue and White Party.
Both parties need a 61-seat majority to form a government - both are predicted to win around 33 to 34 seats meaning either side has to partner-up with other parties to successfully form a coalition. If the frontrunners are tied, Israel's president will task one leader with forming a government based on feedback he gets from potential coalition partners in other parties.
So far, neither has been able to form a coalition because parties clash on demands for joining a government. Avigdor Lieberman who heads up the nationalist Yisrael Beitenu party has been dubbed 'the kingmaker' in previous election rounds for his party's third place position putting him in the position of being able to choose which party he'll side with and support.
This time around, Lieberman is vowing to block Benjamin Netanyahu from serving as Israel's prime minister for another term. At the same time, he says he won't join a government that includes the Arab-led Joint List party.
File photo: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (R), shakes hands with former Defense Minister and Yisrael Beiteinu party leader Avigdor Lieberman in Jerusalem, October 25, 2012. /AP
The Netanyahu trial
Israelis agree that the country has been dragged into a third round of voting mostly due to current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's attempts to shield himself from going to jail.
Netanyahu was indicted on corruption charges in November and his trial is set to begin two weeks after Monday's election.
During previous coalition forming attempts, the prime minister reportedly tried negotiating an immunity bid. This time around, Netanyahu is attempting to discredit the country's attorney general, indicating he'll fight against any attempt to put him on trial or find him guilty if his Likud party wins a majority of votes in the current voting round.
Analysts say Netanyahu is desperate and doing all in his power to stay in power and avoid jail.
The coronavirus card
COVID-19 is also playing a role in the current election round: isolated or quarantine voting booths have been set up to accommodate the half dozen Israelis diagnosed with novel coronavirus pneumonia.
As well, there are suspicions 'virus fear' text message warnings in the form of "someone with corona voted at your polling station" will strategically be sent to voters in order to spread fear and keep voters at home.