Israel's Netanyahu declares victory in ruling party leadership primary

Embattled Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared victory in a leadership primary in his right-wing Likud party Friday, ensuring he will lead it in March elections.

"A huge win! Thank you to Likud members for their trust, support and love," Netanyahu, who is fighting a corruption indictment, tweeted an hour after polls closed.

Partial results reported by Israeli TV stations showed Netanyahu capturing between 70 percent and 80 percent of the vote, trouncing his challenger, lawmaker Gideon Saar.

A final tally is expected Friday morning. 

Polls in that party race opened across the country at 0700 GMT, with Likud's roughly 116,000 eligible voters having until 2100 GMT to choose between Netanyahu and Saar.  

Saar, a former minister seen as to the right of Netanyahu, tweeted after polls closed thanking his supporters, volunteers and voters.

In power as premier for a decade, Netanyahu early next year faces a third general election within 12 months and has been indicted in a multi-pronged corruption probe.

Saar, more hawkish than Netanyahu?

At a polling station in the Kiryat Moshe neighbourhood of Jerusalem, Rami David said he voted for Saar because "he would give Likud a new image."

Saar, 53, has been a senior figure in the Likud for a decade and held multiple ministries.

He has called for an even more hawkish policy towards the Palestinians.

Nathan Moati, 26, backed Netanyahu and didn't think supporters were concerned by the indictment.

"The most important thing is to vote overwhelmingly –– we need to have 80/20 (for Netanyahu)."

Saar and Netanyahu have spent recent days crisscrossing the country, with Saar seeking to portray himself as a more electable leader.

The campaign's most dramatic moment came on Wednesday evening when Netanyahu was rushed off stage while campaigning in Ashkelon in southern Israel near Gaza, after what the army called a "projectile" was fired from the Palestinian enclave.

Looming national election

Stephan Miller, a pollster who has worked on multiple Israeli campaigns, said whatever the result "Netanyahu can only lose."

No matter how much support Saar receives, "it will be the first time in 10 years that a group of voters on the right explicitly express their desire to get rid of Netanyahu," he said.

"If that is more than a third of the party, Netanyahu will be significantly damaged."

The winner of Thursday's vote will lead Likud into Israel's third national poll within 12 months.

The general elections in April and September saw Netanyahu deadlocked with centrist challenger Benny Gantz, neither of them able to command a majority in Israel's proportional parliament.

Last month, Netanyahu was indicted for fraud, bribery, and breach of trust in three corruption cases, allegations he strongly denies.

The primaries were called shortly after, the first internal challenge to Netanyahu since 2014.

A series of polls in recent weeks have indicated a Saar-led Likud might win fewer seats in a third election than under Netanyahu, but the overall rightwing bloc might be larger – potentially yielding a viable governing coalition.

Saar has not attacked Netanyahu personally, even hinting he would support him becoming Israel's president.