'Call me': Israeli right-wing candidates go door to door pleading for votes

As Israel's election unfolded on Tuesday, the right-wing parties found themselves in a frantic effort to secure their supporters' votes through every means available. A surge in voter turnout, which could potentially lead to their downfall, prompted senior officials from the governing coalition to issue warnings about a possible shift in favor of the opposition and their eventual loss of power.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich appealed to friends and family members who were on the fence about voting, urging them to reach out directly. He provided his personal phone number for immediate availability. Itamar Ben-Gvir, the Minister of National Security, took a more hands-on approach by visiting homes in Bat Yam, a neighborhood in Israel, to personally encourage residents to cast their ballots.

He shared a video of himself knocking on doors, emphasizing the importance of waking up the community to participate in the election.

Voter turnout reached a record-breaking 55.7 percent by 4 p.m. on Tuesday, up from 47.5 percent in the same hour during the previous election. This record-high turnout is the highest recorded at this stage of the Election Day since 1973, according to the Central Elections Committee. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been grappling with corruption charges and military conflicts, made over 20 appeals for his supporters to vote since the polls opened.

He used exclamation mark emojis and siren emojis in his posts to emphasize the urgency of the situation.

In his posts, Netanyahu highlighted the possibility of a Muslim Brotherhood's involvement in the election, warning that they could potentially steal the vote. He claimed that higher-than-usual voter turnout in the Arab sector had resulted in low turnout among right-wing voters. The Likud party, led by Netanyahu, submitted a formal request to extend voting hours, as they continued to caution supporters that the election might be rigged.

Other candidates, even those from opposition parties, complained about slow ID checks, particularly in Palestinian Israeli areas.

In light of this consequential election, some assert that the fate of the state itself hangs in the balance. However, all agree that the central issue at hand is Prime Minister Netanyahu's lengthy tenure. The vote could signal the end of Netanyahu's long and complex career, which has been marred by corruption charges and a controversial wartime strategy, if voters decide to hold him accountable for the security failures that occurred on October 7, 2023.

Polls indicate that Netanyahu's camp might fall significantly short of the 61 seats required to form a government, potentially forcing them into lengthy coalition negotiations or even a second election.