Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has claimed victory in the general elections held on Monday.

Exit polls indicated that Netanyahu is in a strong position to form the next government. The election, Israel's third in less than a year, was called after inconclusive votes in April and September plunged the Jewish state into a political stalemate.

The surveys conducted by three Israeli networks gave Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party between 36 and 37 seats in Israel's 120-member parliament. Likud's main challenger, the centrist Blue and White party, was estimated to take 32 or 33. After the polls, Netanyahu tweeted 'It's a huge victory for Israel'.