Naftali Bennet, a senior official in the Yemina party, calls on voters to only cast their vote for a party that will definitely pass the minimum electoral threshold to enter Knesset. Bennet was sending a clear message to right-wing voters not to vote for the Otzma Yehudit party, fearing votes for the party will be trashed as the party will not reach the minimum, as occurred in previous elections.

Bennet made his comments during a radio interview on Monday with Avi Mimran of Kol Chai Radio. “Next Tuesday, at 10:01PM, the results will be announced, and if chalilah, we are holding at 59 mandates for the right-wing, and you voted for a party that did not meet the minimum threshold, and this is Otzma Yehudit, Noam or the Pirates, then you with your own hands placed a left-wing government in power. I am not saying you must vote for Yemina, my current party. I am saying if you do not want Yemina, vote for another party”.

Bennet continued, explaining he sees Itamar Ben-Gvir of Otzma Yehudit “as a gift from Heaven for the left-wing” as he will waste right-wing votes in Bennet’s opinion.

Mimran pointed out that Bennet’s New Right party did not pass the minimum electoral threshold in the April 2019 election.

Bennet explained that is exactly his point, as they erred and this time around, they are not running alone while Otzma Yehudit is repeating the same mistake.

In a poll released by Walla News on Monday, September 9, 2019, it shows Blue & White is the largest party, with 33 seats; followed by Likud with 32, Joint Arab List with 9, Yemina 9, Yisrael Beitenu 8, Yahadut Hatorah 7, Shas 6, Democratic Camp 6, Labor/Gesher 6 and Otzma Yehudit passing the minimum threshold with 4 seats.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)