Yamina leader Naftali Bennett boasted at a campaign rally in Sderot on Wednesday night that it is still possible for him to become prime minister following Tuesday’s election.
“I want to update you that there have been very interesting developments that will enable the formation of a right-wing nationalist government that will be very different,” Bennett told the crowd, but he did not reveal how it would be possible.
Bennett warned that voting for the Likud, Yesh Atid, Yisrael Beytenu or New Hope would “lead to too much baseless hatred in a fifth, sixth and seventh election.”
He praised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for “contributing plenty” but added that “after 33 years, his link in the chain should be passed on to a new link, because it is a bit rusty. The time has come.”
At a campaign rally in Rishon Lezion, Yair Lapid told activists that he is optimistic about the election.
“We can win this election,” he said. “We’re fighting for the 61st seat. These past two years will all come down to one seat. Whoever will be determined enough will get it. If we work smart, if we work hard, if we convince the undecideds, we can win this election.”
Blue and White leader Benny Gantz said at a rally in Ramat Hasharon: “We won’t be the largest party in the next Knesset, but we will be the most influential.”
Meanwhile, the Central Elections Committee ruled late Tuesday that the Likud Party cannot use the slogan “Coming back to life,” which was originally used to encourage members of the public to get COVID-19 vaccinations.
The Achrayut Leumit (National Responsibility) movement, which petitioned the committee, said the slogan violated the prohibition of using “public assets,” be they tangible or intangible, for campaign purposes.
The Likud appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, which will hear the case on Thursday morning.
Eve Young contributed to this report