Ehud Olmert

The polls have closed in the Israeli election and exit polls show that Ehud Olmert's Kadima Party has won the mandate it sought to set Israel's final border with the Palestinians during the next parliamentary term.

Exit polls show Kadima winning more than 30 seats in the 120-seat Knesset.  The same polls show the center-left Labour Party winning more than 20 seats.  Labour is a likely coalition partner with Kadima.

Foreign Minister Tsipi Livni, a prominent Kadima leader, says the results validate Ariel Sharon's decision to move Israeli politics to the center by forming Kadima last year. 

Livni says the election results will allow Kadima to complete a full four-year parliamentary term. 

In a major political development exit polls show Israel's rightist Likud Party coming in a distant third.  However, some polls show Likud in fourth place behind the far-right Yisrael Beiteinu Party. Final results are expected Wednesday.

Reproduced with permission: VOAnews