Eisenkot Declares Victory, Demands Netanyahu Resign
Translated & summarized from Now 14 by baba
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of Yisrael Beiteinu, declared victory and called for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign, citing public will for change. This came as exit polls showed a potential majority for the right-wing bloc, contradicting Eisenkot's claims. Other party leaders also made pronouncements about forming a new government. Voter turnout was the highest since 2001.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Gadi Eisenkot declared victory and demanded PM Netanyahu resign, citing public will for change.
- Exit polls indicated a potential 62-seat majority for the right-wing bloc.
- Eisenkot warned security chiefs and Netanyahu against using security for political needs.
- Yisrael Beiteinu received 20 seats in the Channel 14 exit poll.
- Voter turnout for the 26th Knesset elections was the highest since 2001.
- Other party leaders, including Bennett and Lapid, also claimed victory or defeat for Netanyahu.
Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party and former IDF Chief of Staff, declared victory following the release of election exit polls, asserting that the public had "decided in favor of change." He called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign, stating that Netanyahu had become a "transitional prime minister, without a mandate or trust." Eisenkot also announced his intention to work towards establishing a "Zionist enlistment government" and warned against further elections.
In a notable address, Eisenkot directly cautioned security chiefs and Netanyahu himself against using Israel's security for political gain. "Netanyahu, do not dare to use Israel's security for your political needs," he stated. These remarks were made while vote counting was still underway, and with updated exit polls from Channel 14 indicating a majority for the right-wing bloc.
Eisenkot framed the election day as a "referendum on the leadership" for Israel's future. He claimed that Netanyahu was facing a larger and stronger "Zionist majority," comprising the general, serving, and working public. His party, Yisrael Beiteinu, reportedly secured 20 seats in the Channel 14 poll, making it the second-largest party after the Likud, which received 31 seats.
Eisenkot criticized Netanyahu's political standing, arguing that Israel needs "stable and responsible leadership" and that Netanyahu is now a "transitional prime minister, without a mandate or trust." He urged Netanyahu to leave politics and pledged to work towards realizing what he interpreted as the voters' will, warning that another election would be a mistake.
Other political figures also made declarations. Naftali Bennett, head of the Together party, claimed victory for the "alliance of the serving" over the "alliance of the evaders" and stated that "change bloc" leaders were coordinating efforts to form a government. Yair Golan, chairman of the Democrats, echoed the sentiment that the public had dismissed the Netanyahu government, and Yair Lapid, former Prime Minister, described the Netanyahu bloc's performance as a "crushing defeat."
Despite these claims of change, the updated Channel 14 exit poll projected a 62-seat majority for the right-wing bloc, with the Likud as the largest party. Yisrael Beiteinu received 20 seats, Together 11, and the Joint List 11. Notably, Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, did not pass the electoral threshold in the updated poll, and Am Israel, led by Ofer Vinter, also failed to enter the Knesset. The high voter turnout for the 26th Knesset elections was reported at 77.7% as of 10 PM.
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