Members of Israel's ruling Kadima party have voted for candidates to run in national legislative elections in February.
Some 80,000 party members were eligible to cast ballots for about 80 candidates vying for a place on Kadima's list of candidates. Party officials expected a low voter turnout.
The primary could decide whether the centrist Kadima party will tilt more towards its nationalist or moderate members.
Kadima is led by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who replaced Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as party chief in September. The party has slipped in polls following a series of corruption charges.
The frontrunner for February's national election is the hardline Likud party, led by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In other news, Palestinian hospital officials say a Palestinian man was killed after an Israeli missile hit his home in northern Gaza Strip. Israeli military officials say they were targeting rocket-launchers in the area.
Israeli officials say the airstrike came after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired some 20 rockets at Israel earlier in the day. One rocket exploded in the Israeli border town of Sderot, injuring two people.
The attacks come just days before the six-month-old cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is expected to end.
Israel has tightened its borders with Gaza in response to the rocket attacks. Members of the international community and relief groups have called on Israel to lift the blockade.
Some 80,000 party members were eligible to cast ballots for about 80 candidates vying for a place on Kadima's list of candidates. Party officials expected a low voter turnout.
The primary could decide whether the centrist Kadima party will tilt more towards its nationalist or moderate members.
Kadima is led by Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, who replaced Prime Minister Ehud Olmert as party chief in September. The party has slipped in polls following a series of corruption charges.
The frontrunner for February's national election is the hardline Likud party, led by former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
In other news, Palestinian hospital officials say a Palestinian man was killed after an Israeli missile hit his home in northern Gaza Strip. Israeli military officials say they were targeting rocket-launchers in the area.
Israeli officials say the airstrike came after Palestinian militants in Gaza fired some 20 rockets at Israel earlier in the day. One rocket exploded in the Israeli border town of Sderot, injuring two people.
The attacks come just days before the six-month-old cease-fire between Israel and Hamas is expected to end.
Israel has tightened its borders with Gaza in response to the rocket attacks. Members of the international community and relief groups have called on Israel to lift the blockade.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
