Netanyahu and Smotrich Launch Joint Plan to Boost Right-Wing Vote
Translated & summarized from Maariv by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich are launching a joint election plan called "Saving the Right" to boost right-wing voter turnout by an estimated five seats. The initiative will mobilize religious and community leaders through the Religious Zionist movement's network. The plan aims to reach 200,000 potential voters, leveraging personal connections for mobilization. Notably, Itamar Ben Gvir and his party were excluded from the joint effort, raising questions about right-wing unity.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu and Bezalel Smotrich are launching a joint election plan to boost the right-wing bloc.
- The "Saving the Right" initiative aims to gain an estimated five parliamentary seats by increasing voter turnout.
- The plan will mobilize rabbis and community leaders through the Religious Zionist movement's network.
- Yisrael Gantz facilitated the collaboration between the Likud and Religious Zionism parties.
- Itamar Ben Gvir and his Otzma Yehudit party were excluded from the joint initiative.
- The exclusion of Ben Gvir follows a surplus vote agreement between Likud and Religious Zionism.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich are holding two joint rallies in Jerusalem today to launch a shared election plan aimed at strengthening the right-wing bloc by an estimated five parliamentary seats. The initiative, titled "Saving the Right," seeks to mobilize rabbis, institutional leaders, and community heads to encourage voter turnout among right-wing supporters who tend to abstain from voting.
The plan, dubbed "the multiplication equation," leverages the extensive network of institutions, yeshivas, and preparatory programs within the Religious Zionist community. Leaders of these institutions will use their personal connections with students, alumni, and families to integrate into the Likud party's voter mobilization efforts. Each participating institution is expected to contribute its own network of activists and community ties to expand the reach of the campaign.
Organizers estimate the campaign could reach approximately 200,000 potential right-wing voters. This figure represents the number of individuals the campaign aims to contact, not a guaranteed number of new voters. The projected gain of five seats is based on the assumption that a significant pool of non-voting right-wing supporters can be persuaded to cast ballots through targeted outreach.
Yisrael Gantz is credited with facilitating the collaboration, drawing on his familiarity with the Religious Zionist leadership and institutions. The partnership between Netanyahu and Smotrich is also built on their working relationship during their time in government, particularly during security discussions amid the ongoing war, which reportedly strengthened mutual trust.
However, the initiative has also revealed political tensions. The initial plan for a rally with Netanyahu alone was expanded to include Smotrich after rabbis requested his participation, highlighting Smotrich's influence. Notably, Itamar Ben Gvir and rabbis aligned with his Otzma Yehudit party were not invited, sparking questions about the extent of cooperation among the three right-wing parties. Organizers state the program is based on the existing organizational infrastructure of Religious Zionist institutions, while critics question the exclusion of Ben Gvir's supporters. This exclusion comes shortly after the Likud and Religious Zionism signed a surplus vote agreement, leaving Otzma Yehudit without a similar deal with the Likud.
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