Security was tight for Tuesday's vote, with thousands of police and soldiers deployed

The figure of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, elected in 2001, dominated the election

After two years of the intifada, many Israelis back Sharon's focus on security and a tough line on the Palestinians

Palestinian areas were closed off for the poll, as Israel believed there was a high risk of attack from militants

But Israeli election officials still reported the lowest turnout in the country's history

Most opinion polls had predicted victory for 74-year old Mr Sharon...

But Mr Sharon will still have the tricky task of putting a new coalition together...

... which could take days or even weeks given the political horse-trading required