Israeli lawmaker aims to oust Netanyahu in Likud primary

Israel's Likud party was holding a primary vote on Thursday, in the first serious internal challenge to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his more than a decade in power.

Veteran politician Gideon Saar hopes to unseat Netanyahu, arguing that he will be better placed to form a government in national elections in March after Netanyahu failed to do so twice in two repeat elections this year.

Despite corruption indictments against him, Netanyahu remains popular among Likud members and the fiercely loyal party has stood firmly behind him. He is expected to defeat Saar handily in Thursday's vote. The results are expected early on Friday.