Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived at his designated polling station in Jerusalem on Tuesday morning alongside his wife, Sara Netanyahu, to cast his ballot for the elections to the 26th Knesset. Speaking immediately after casting his vote, the prime minister framed the national election in stark ideological terms, defining the contest as a critical, binary historical crossroads for the Israeli public. “It is either the right or ‘Palestine’,” Netanyahu declared, summarizing the central theme of his campaign in a single, unvarnished statement.
The prime minister’s remarks underscored Likud’s central campaign message, which characterizes the electoral race not merely as a contest between competing political parties or leadership personalities, but as an existential determination of Israel’s strategic and territorial future. Netanyahu has consistently maintained that only a robust, right-wing government can withstand international diplomatic pressure, defeat regional adversaries, and permanently prevent the establishment of a sovereign ‘Palestinian’ state in the heart of the homeland.
The voting appearance took place against the backdrop of exceptionally high voter participation recorded across the country. Turnout figures reported by the Central Elections Committee reached their highest midday levels since 1977, driven by intense ground mobilization across all sectors. Netanyahu used the moment to urge citizens nationwide to exercise their democratic right, calling on the national-religious and right-wing voter base to avoid complacency, arrive at the polls in large numbers, and secure a decisive majority for the national camp before polling stations close on Tuesday evening.