Israel Election Eve: Polls Open in 12 Hours Amidst Unusually Quiet Streets
Translated & summarized from Kikar HaShabbat by baba
With 12 hours until polls open, Kikar HaShabbat hosted a special broadcast analyzing Israel's election. Key topics included unusual public apathy, the balance between political blocs, and the potential mandate count for Haredi parties. The program also discussed the impact of Avigdor Lieberman's coalition stance and the draft law's future.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israel's election polls open in 12 hours, with a special broadcast analyzing key issues.
- Unusual public apathy is noted on election eve, prompting questions about voter engagement.
- The balance of power between political blocs and projected mandate counts are central discussion points.
- The influence of Haredi parties, the "black vote," and youth voter shifts are being examined.
- The potential passage of the draft law and its impact on coalition formation is a key concern.
With just 12 hours remaining until polling stations open across Israel, a special broadcast from Kikar HaShabbat's election studio is analyzing the key issues facing voters. Host Yishai Cohen is joined by Avi Mimran, editor of Kol Chai radio, Shlomi Kook, editor-in-chief of Bekeila newspaper, Rabbi Yossi Shvinger, and Avi Widerman, head of the Super Data polling institute, for a focused discussion.
The broadcast highlights the unusual quiet on the streets just hours before the election, questioning the reasons behind the apparent public apathy. A central theme is the balance of the blocs: whether the right will achieve a decisive victory, the left will gain ground, or if the country will be headed for another election round. The program aims to project the number of mandates each bloc is expected to receive.
Further topics include the potential impact of Avigdor Lieberman's firm stance against a minority government on the center-left bloc's ability to form a coalition. The strength of the Haredi parties, Shas and United Torah Judaism, is also under scrutiny, with projections on their expected mandate count. The broadcast will examine the "black vote" within the Haredi public and the phenomenon of young Haredim potentially shifting their votes towards Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich.
Election turnout is another critical point, with predictions for overall participation and specifically within the Haredi sector, and how these figures might alter the mandate map. Finally, the program will address the implications of the draft law, questioning whether it will pass after the election and if the Haredi parties will uphold their commitment to not join a government without a resolution on the status of yeshiva students.
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