Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held his first direct telephone conversations on Wednesday since polling stations closed with key leaders of the right-wing bloc, reaching out to Religious Zionism Chairman Bezalel Smotrich and Otzma Yehudit Chairman Itamar Ben Gvir.
During the conversations, Netanyahu delivered an unambiguous message regarding the cohesion of the national camp: “We are together, and we are staying together.”The outreach marks the first formal coordination between Netanyahu and his senior coalition partners following the release of initial exit polls and the subsequent progression of verified vote counting by the Central Elections Committee. Political analysts viewed the timing as a deliberate effort to lock in bloc discipline and project absolute unity at a sensitive political juncture. With interim returns showing the coalition hovering around 53 seats ahead of the external double-envelope tallies, the political arena has been rife with speculation about alternative coalition formations—including scenarios floated by opposition commentators that would condition outside support on excluding Ben Gvir or Smotrich.
By initiating direct contact and reiterating mutual loyalty, Netanyahu sought to defuse internal friction and make clear that any expansion of the incoming government would occur alongside his established partners, rather than at their expense.
Following the brief political consultations, the Prime Minister turned his attention back to pressing state matters.
Aides confirmed that Netanyahu spent most of Wednesday managing high-level diplomatic affairs and presiding over classified defense assessments on multi-front combat theaters and broader regional strategic tensions.