Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has declared victory in Israel's election despite being tied with the opposition party in exit polls. Mr Netanyahu took to Twitter to declare a 'great victory' for his right-wing Likud party despite polls showing a dead heat with its main opponent, the centre-left Zionist Union. The Prime Minister wrote: 'Against all odds: a great victory for Likud, a great victory for the national camp led by Likud, a great victory for the people of Israel.' Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (pictured) delivered a speech for supporters after declaring victory in Israel's election - which exit polls suggest are virtually neck and neck . The incumbent Prime Minister (left and right) took to Twitter to declare a 'great victory' for his right-wing Likud party, despite polls showing a dead heat with its main opponent, the centre-left Zionist Union . Netanyahu (left) took a moment to greet his wife Sara (right) on stage after reacting to the early exit polls . He wrote: 'Against all odds: a great victory for the Likud. A major victory for the people of Israel!' But his main challenger later disputed Netanyahu's victory claim, saying 'everything is open'. Speaking to supporters at party headquarters in Tel Aviv, Herzog said: 'This result allows us to return to power. We will wait for the real results - everything is open.' He added that he would make 'every effort; to cobble together the next coalition government. Polls carried out by the country's three major TV stations have shown an extremely tight race between the Prime Minister's ruling Likud Party and opposition leader Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union. Two polls showed the parties deadlocked with 27 seats each, while a third gave Likud a slight lead of 28-27. But all showed the centrist newcomer Moshe Kahlon with enough seats to determine who will be the next prime minister. Kahlon, a Likud breakaway, has not said which side he would favour - but is likely to drive a hard bargain. They also seemed to suggest that Netanyahu appears to have the slight upper hand in forming a majority coalition, thanks to his traditional right-wing and religious allies. Israeli supporters of the centre-left Zionist Union party wave their national flag as they take part in early celebrations outside the party's headquarters. Exit polls show the two main parties are neck and neck . According to the polls, carried out by Israel's leading television channels, Isaac Herzog's Zionist Union is tied with the ruling Likud party. Pictured: Zionist Union supporters chant for victory . But the Liked party were also celebrating after Channel 2 said  Netanyahu had eked out a narrow victory, winning 28 seats to 27 for Herzog. It also appears Netanyahu has the slight upper hand in forming a coalition . The Netanyahu supporters cheered as they heard the first television predictions for the election results . 'This is a great victory. It's almost a miracle,' Likud lawmaker Ofir Akunis told The Associated Press. 'For months, everybody attacked the Likud. And today is a beautiful day for the Likud. It sends a message that the people of Israel will decide for themselves.' The early figures set off huge celebrations at the Likud campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv. But the mixed results are sure to disappoint Herzog, who had been tipped to come out on top in the election. The results will be announced on Wednesday morning but the country will already be headings into weeks of negotiations, in a bid to form a coalition. The parties will all fall short of the required 61-seat majority in parliament. The early results, which will be confirmed on Wednesday, triggered huge celebrations at the Likud party's campaign headquarters in Tel Aviv . Likud supporters celebrate as Netanyahu declares a 'great victory' for the party and for Israel (left and right) Likud party supporters react joyously after hearing exit poll results in Tel Aviv this morning . Supporters of Benjamin Netanyahu celebrate as election results come in at his campaign headquarters . Israel is divided between two major groups of voters - right wingers and religious parties that tend to take a hard line toward the Palestinians, and parties focused on establishing a Palestinian state as part of a peace agreement. The left wing appeared to have slightly more seats, but would rely heavily on a new Arab list that has said it will not sit in a coalition. That gives Netanyahu, who his seeking his third consecutive term, and his traditional right-wing allies a slight head-start in the negotiations. Experts agreed that the vote had largely seen as a referendum on Netanyahu. Final opinion polls published late last week put Herzog ahead with 25-26 seats with Netanyahu's Likud taking 20-22. But they also warned about the reliability of the polls, pointing to the 2013 election when they completely failed to predict the level of support for centrist newcomer Yesh Atid. Herzog (second left), pictured with his wife Michal after casting their votes, had been tipped to come out on top in the election . Moshe Kahlon, Kulanu party leader, greets his supporters  in Tel Aviv. The upstart centrist Kulanu party has emerged as the kingmaker in the elections, and could tip the scale in favor of either Netanyahu or Herzog . A Zionist Union party supporters raises his hand to his face in disappointment. Whoever wins will fall short of the required 61-seat majority in parliament and will have to rely on allies to form a coalition . Supporters of Moshe Kahlon's party Kulanu celebrate after the exit polls were announced. The party has enough seats to decide who will be the next prime minister - but is likely to drive a hard bargain . This election season has amplified the bitter divide between hard-liners and moderates in Israel. In an extraordinary attempt to sway right-wing voters, Netanyahu announced on the eve of the election that there would be no Palestinian state if he were re-elected. As his party trailed the Zionist Union in final opinion polls, Netanyahu said that if his rivals were elected security would be compromised and they would give up total Israeli control over Jerusalem. 'We will continue to build to fortify Jerusalem so its division will not be possible and it will remain united forever,' he said on a tour of Har Homa, a settlement neighbourhood of annexed east Jerusalem. The outgoing Israeli parliament and the latest opinion poll . Netanyahu also vowed he would never allow the Palestinians to establish a capital in the city's eastern sector and pledged to build 'thousands' of settler homes. The Palestinians want east Jerusalem as capital of their future state, and continued settlement building has incensed the international community, which sees it as an obstacle to peace. Throughout his campaign, Netanyahu has repeatedly accused Zionist Union leaders Isaac Herzog and former peace negotiator Tzipi Livni of being ready to abandon Israel's claim to Jerusalem as its indivisible capital. But Netanyahu's most strident statement came when he was asked by the rightwing NRG website if it was true that there would be no Palestinian state established if he was reelected. He later told public radio the two-state solution was now irrelevant, saying the 'reality has changed' and 'any territory which would be handed over would be taken over by radical Islamists'. Herzog, however, dismissed Netanyahu's jibes, pledging on Sunday  to 'safeguard' Jerusalem 'in actions, not just words, more than any other leader'. On Monday, he insisted Jerusalem would remain forever Israel's 'undivided capital'. The leader of the party which secures most votes does not necessarily become the next premier -- as in 2009 when the centrist Kadima party then headed by Livni effectively won the vote but lost the election in a race which brought Netanyahu to power for a second term. Under Israel's complex electoral system, the task of forming a government does not automatically fall to the party with the largest number of votes, but to the MP or party leader with the best chance of cobbling together a coalition with a parliamentary majority of 61.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tied with Zionist Union's Isaac Herzog . TV station polls say both parties secured 27 seats in 120-member Knesset . Another station said Netanyahu eked out narrow victory, winning 28 to 27 . On Twitter, Netanyahu has already claimed a 'great victory' for Likud party . He appears to have upper hand in forming coalition due to right-wing allies . Newcomer Moshe Kahlon has enough seats to affect who will be next PM . Results likely to disappoint Herzog who was tipped to come out on top . He disputed Netanyahu's victory claim, saying the race was 'still open'
Early polls triggered celebrations outside Likud's headquarters in Tel Aviv .