Israeli Election Race Intensifies in Final 100 Hours

With less than 100 hours until polls open on Tuesday morning, Israeli party leaders are intensifying their efforts to sway undecided voters in the final stretch of the election campaign. Most polls indicate that neither bloc will secure the 61 Knesset seats needed to form a government, making voter turnout a critical factor. According to "PollMarket," Gadi Eisenkot has the highest chance of forming a government at 49%, while Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chances have fallen to 30% over the past two weeks. Naftali Bennett's chances, however, are rising to 16%, mirroring his performance in recent polls and on betting platforms. Avigdor Lieberman's chances are listed at only 3% by "PollMarket."

Netanyahu and the Likud party are focusing their final efforts on 20 key cities, aiming to boost turnout among their base and prevent opposition blocs from forming a government. Netanyahu and his ministers are scheduled for five to six campaign tours daily, with a particular emphasis on cities like Ashkelon, Ashdod, Beersheba, Ofakim, Netanya, and Holon. The Likud has organized local branches and activists to coordinate Netanyahu's visits to malls, commercial centers, and resident gatherings, ensuring a consistent party presence in these crucial areas. A joint Likud-Religious Zionism situation room, staffed by hundreds of volunteers, has been established to mobilize voters on election day, focusing on specific streets and neighborhoods.

Meanwhile, Eisenkot is targeting peripheral cities, aiming to counter Netanyahu's focus in areas where Likud traditionally holds strong support. Eilat, Eisenkot's childhood home, has received significant campaign funding. His campaign is also active in development towns often overlooked by the liberal bloc, with Eisenkot being the only Mizrahi candidate for prime minister. His campaign has distributed unique billboards in Moroccan Arabic, translating to "Our Prime Minister." Polls conducted by his campaign suggest that while he may not win over Likud voters, he might deter them from voting for Netanyahu, potentially leading to lower turnout for the incumbent. Eisenkot plans to visit 40 "golden cities," including Dimona, Beersheba, Netanya, Hadera, Afula, and Holon, to appeal to undecided voters. His campaign is also actively seeking votes from the Religious Zionist community, holding events for kippah-wearing individuals. In contrast, liberal cities with high expected turnout for the change bloc have received minimal investment, with most activists and poll watchers being deployed to Likud-stronghold cities.

Naftali Bennett is experiencing a positive trend, narrowing the gap with Eisenkot. He has launched a campaign encouraging people to add him to their "family WhatsApp group" and continues to hold "parliaments" with Netanyahu supporters, alongside rallies and city tours. His party has meticulously targeted individuals who have shown interest in these events and online, building a base of supporters for election day. Bennett's campaign has allocated most of its budget to the "money time" phase, focusing on cities like the Krayot, Hadera, Netanya, Rosh Ha'ayin, Modi'in, Petah Tikva, specific Jerusalem neighborhoods, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Yavne, Rehovot, and Nes Ziona. Notably, the campaign is also targeting settlements in Judea and Samaria and engaging with religious Zionist voters who feel unrepresented by the right-wing parties. Bennett's "parliament" events across the country, where he confronts criticism about his past term as prime minister, have reportedly generated positive momentum, with about 20% of new supporters joining in the last two months coming from traditional Likud strongholds.