Israel elections: Bezalel Smotrich exceeds expectations and wins 6 to 7 seats

Israel elections: Bezalel Smotrich exceeds expectations and wins 6 to 7 seats

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Bezalel Smotrich’s Zionist Religious Party defied expectations, with initial surveys giving him six or seven seats, making him as or even stronger than New Hope.

Throughout the day, Smotrich took a disaster scenario approach to get votes, warning that his party might not be able to get enough seats to enter the Knesset.

“We are on the verge of danger,” said Smotrich.

He received an incentive from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party, which asked voters to also support Smotrich, something they have been doing for weeks.

Smotrich said from the beginning that he would join a coalition led by Netanyahu. But he was attacked during the day by the Yamina Party led by Naftali Bennett, who was losing voters to Smotrich.

Bennett left his options open to join a government led by Netanyahu or one led by Yesh Atid Party leader Yair Lapid

Smotrich was part of Yamina in the last government, but split up to form his own party, which included far-right politician Itamar Ben-Gvir. Ben-Gvir is third on the party’s list.

Until Yamina’s attack, Smotrich said, he thought his party had enough votes to safely enter the Knesset. Now, he said, he wasn’t sure.

“Our danger point is the danger point of the right-wing government,” said Smotich, explaining that his party was necessary for Netanyahu to form a 61-term coalition.

Smotrich said Bennett wanted to eliminate his party so as not to be pressured to join a government led by Netanyahu.

For hours, Yamina talked about why not vote for the Zionist Religious Party, instead of focusing on why he voted for his party, like COVID-19 or the economy.

“It is not normal,” said Smotrich.

Go vote, he asked, so that there can be a party that supports Jewish sovereignty in Judea and Samaria, also known as the West Bank.

“Don’t get tired,” he said, the entire country must be painted with voting ballots for the Zionist Religious Party.

“We must be 100% in, there must be a 100% right-wing government,” he added.

May the votes prove that there is a right-wing majority in this country, he added.

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