Netanyahu Warns Against Votes for Small Parties, Citing Risk to Right-Wing Bloc

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaking at a Likud party event on Thursday, urged voters to support parties likely to pass the electoral threshold, warning that votes for smaller factions could inadvertently benefit the left and undermine the right-wing bloc. He framed the upcoming election as a stark choice between the right and the left, urging supporters to fight rather than surrender.

Netanyahu specifically alluded to Ofer Winter, chairman of the 'Am Ekh Israel' party, cautioning against voting for parties that might not pass the minimum vote requirement or could transfer votes to Avigdor Lieberman's Yisrael Beiteinu party, which he suggested would weaken the right. He also dismissed Gadi Eisenkot's 'Yisrael' party as a "bluff."

Drawing strength from his brother Yonatan Netanyahu, who fell in the Entebbe raid, the Prime Minister declared his commitment to ensuring Israel's victory and its continued fight. He asserted that the election is about choosing between right and left, and that his side chooses the right for the benefit of all Israelis.

Netanyahu also highlighted his government's impact on the Middle East, citing the eliminations of senior figures like Hassan Nasrallah, Ali Khamenei, and Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Marwan Issa. He concluded by setting a goal to overthrow the Iranian regime, stating, "We must complete the mission to the end."