Israeli Parties Mobilize Grassroots Efforts Ahead of Election Day
Translated & summarized from Haaretz by baba
Israeli political parties are launching intensive final-day efforts to mobilize voters ahead of the upcoming election. Parties like Likud, Yesh Atid, and Shas are deploying thousands of activists to key areas, focusing on undecided voters and specific demographics. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to make appearances in low-turnout areas, while other party leaders will conduct tours and engage with potential voters. Several parties are also preparing for potential disruptions and misinformation campaigns.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli parties are deploying thousands of activists nationwide for a final push to mobilize voters.
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to visit areas with low voter turnout on election day.
- Parties like Yesh Atid and Ra'am are preparing for potential disruptions and misinformation campaigns.
- Shas and United Torah Judaism are devising methods to track voters despite app bans.
- Bennett aims to attract young voters and undecided Likud supporters, while Lapid focuses on his party's strongholds.
- Ra'am's strategy centers on maximizing turnout within the Arab community.
As the election campaign enters its final stretch, Israeli political parties are launching intensive grassroots operations to mobilize voters, particularly the undecided and apathetic. The Likud party plans to deploy 15,000 activists nationwide, focusing on cities identified with the party and those with potential for bloc-switching voters, including Eilat, Afula, Ariel, Rishon LeZion, and Nahariya. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's schedule for election day will be determined last minute, but he is expected to visit areas with low party vote percentages to encourage turnout. Likud activists will also monitor polling stations in Arab communities for "irregularities and suspicions," an operation described as the party's largest to date.
Meanwhile, leaders Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid will pursue separate, high-profile public agendas. Bennett aims to appeal to coalition voters with potential to switch blocs, especially young people and Likud voters open to other options. Lapid will visit his party's strongholds and its "fake news" war room, monitoring reports of election disruption attempts. His party, Yesh Atid, is launching a "huge field operation" with over 11,000 volunteers covering 1,500 polling sites, also preparing for fake news campaigns and fearing violence.
Shas plans to circumvent the ban on the "Elector" app, which tracks voters, by using a "thousands and hundreds leaders" system where each leader monitors a small group. Otzma Yehudit activists will tour right-wing strongholds, conveying a message that Netanyahu desires a unity government without Itamar Ben-Gvir and Tali Gottlieb to spur votes for their party. They will convene in Modi'in to watch exit polls. Yisrael Beiteinu will focus on persuading the general population, shifting from its previous emphasis on immigrants. Party leader Avigdor Lieberman will divide his time between the party headquarters and field tours, using Central Elections Committee data to bolster areas with low turnout.
United Torah Judaism faces similar challenges with voter tracking but will resort to calling all voters directly. The party has instructed its polling station committee members to report voter turnout in real-time, despite a High Court prohibition. Approximately 5,000 activists will be deployed across 25 cities, with a focus on Jerusalem, Petah Tikva, Givat Shmuel, Ra'anana, and Modi'in, as well as peripheral cities like Tiberias and Ashkelon. They are also launching "Operation Multiplier" to encourage supporters to bring at least one additional voter. Moshe Feiglin, running on a joint list with the Religious Zionism party, will operate separately.
Ra'am will concentrate on increasing voter turnout in the Arab community, with Secretary-General Yechiel Dahamsha stating efforts will begin early to prevent crowding and disruptions. Activists will operate nationwide, especially in the Negev, assisting residents in reaching polling stations and aiding those with disabilities. Ra'am fears provocations from far-right activists and has instructed its members not to engage. "Am Israel" will focus on its base of soldiers and IDF personnel, primarily from a religious-nationalist background, concentrating on major cities with military presence. Yosef Haddad will target the Arab population, particularly in mixed cities and among Druze communities. Yoaz Hendel plans to visit the Western Wall, and Einat Wilf will focus on encouraging Anglo-Saxon voter turnout in Ra'anana. The party will convene in Modi'in in the evening.
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