OCCUPIED JERUSALEM, January 28 (IslamOline & News Agencies) - Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's right-wing Likud party secured a major victory in the Israeli general election, according to exit polls.

Likud gained between 32 and 36 of the 120-seat Knesset, Agnece France-Presse reported late Tuesday, January 28.

At the same time, Likud's traditional rival Labor fared poorly in the projections, barely securing between 17 and 19 seats, down from 25, its worst result since the founding of the Jewish state in 1948, according to the same polls.

The secular centrist Shinui Party was thought to have boosted its seats from six in the last assembly to between 14 and 17 seats.

The ultra-Orthodox Shas was set to win between nine and 13 seats, according to two separate exit polls released by the Israeli public television and the privately run Channel Two.

The left-wing Meretz party was expected to win between five and seven seats, down from 10 in the outgoing parliament.

Preliminary results will be announced Wednesday, January 29, but counting of the bulk of ballot slips will start at 5:00 am (0300 GMT), Knesset spokesman Giora Pordes said.

Pordes added that the final official results will not be known before Thursday, January 30, or Friday morning.

For his part, Labor leader Amram Mitzna has ruled out joining a government formed by Sharon, who was first elected as premier on a tough security pledge in February 2001.

Voter turnout, only 64 per cent, was the lowest in Israel’s electoral history.

The lackluster turnout was due to an electorate that was confused and did not know what was going at the Israeli political scene.

"The voters were confused, in despair, disappointed in what is happening in politics, and going for the lesser evil rather than for their preference," said Michael Cheshin, head of the central election committee.