Mock Election at Israeli High School Predicts Major Political Shifts

A traditional "mock election" held at Blich High School in Ramat Gan, known for accurately predicting past Israeli political upheavals, saw the "Yashar" party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, emerge as the clear winner. The student vote, cast by 11th and 12th graders who will not yet be eligible to vote in the upcoming general election, gave Eisenkot's party 32.2% of the ballots.

Following "Yashar" was the "Beitech" party, associated with Naftali Bennett, securing 22.4%. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party came in third with 15.5%. Other parties received smaller percentages: Itamar Ben-Gvir's Otzma Yehudit garnered 9.4%, Yair Golan's Democrats received 7.1%, Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu got 4.8%, and Ofer Winter's "Amcha Yisrael" received 3.6%.

Several parties fell below the electoral threshold in the mock vote, including Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelicha's "HaMiluimnikim VeHaKalkala" (2.8%), Bezalel Smotrich's Religious Zionism (1.6%), and Benny Gantz's Blue and White (0.2%).

The event was not without controversy. Liad Ilani, Deputy Mayor of Ramat Gan, criticized Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir for distributing keychain bottle openers shaped like guns to students, calling it an inappropriate "play area for politicians" and demanding educational oversight. Separately, MK Gilad Kariv of the Democrats reported facing curses and disruptions from Otzma Yehudit activists during his speech at the school. Kariv noted that despite the disruptions, the "change bloc" parties collectively received over two-thirds of the votes, while coalition parties, including Ben-Gvir's, performed poorly in the student poll.