The vote is expected to be close and likely lead to frantic negotiations to form a coalition government once results are in, with opinion polls having shown Netanyahu best placed to do so, France24 reports.
Ex-military chief Benny Gantz has mounted a strong challenge to the veteran prime minister by brandishing his security credentials while pledging to undo damage he says Netanyahu has inflicted on the country with divisive politics.
The election will be in many ways a referendum on the 69-year-old leader who has built a reputation as guarantor of the country's security and economic growth, but whose populism and alleged corruption have left many ready for change.