General elections underway
(Video) Tense election campaign culminates Tuesday as over 5 million eligible voters get a chance to determine makeup of 18th Knesset. Parties operating transportation systems in bid to get people to vote despite stormy weather
Voting commenced at 7 am across the country, allowing the 5,278,985 eligible voters to cast their ballots and determine the makeup of the 18th Knesset.
At the end of a tense elections campaign, conducted mostly under the shadow of the war in Gaza, all parties were gearing up for the final battle over each and every voter.
"God willing we will win," Likud Chairman Benjamin Netanyahu said during a visit to the Western Wall with his family Monday evening. His wife, Sara, sounded confident and stated, "We are going to win for the people of Israel."
However, judging by the Likud campaign headquarters' conduct on Monday, the party was operating under a lot of pressure, as the gap with Kadima was narrowing. "The feeling is that it's a very tight battle.
Let's hope for the best," a party official said. "If we win by a small margin – one or two Knesset seats – it would be very difficult for us to run the state," he added.
Netanyahu at Western Wall (Photo: Gil Yohanan)
According to MK Reuven Rivlin, who heads the Likud's Election Day headquarters, "We do what we can within the budget constraints. We have thousands of volunteers across the country. The question is how motivated they are and how long they will be able to stay near polling stations.
"All of Kadima's activists get paid, but I'm sure the Likud members' motivation would prevail," he added.
Livni expects to win
Kadima Chairman Tzipi Livni remained optimistic Monday, and told Ynet: "I know we will win, because that's the right thing and it's what will happen. I know it, I feel it. I sense it among the public, I see it in the polls and everywhere."
Referring to concerns that the rain might deter people from coming out to vote, Livni said: "In the United States people went out in below-zero temperatures, and I expect the same to happen here. Rain shouldn't scare people who are deciding their fate."
Livni. 'We will win' (Photo: AP)
In any case, the party has purchased some 10,000 umbrellas to hand out to voters. Kadima will also operate a transportation system to help potential voters get to the polling stations.
In order to motivate Labor voters, the party's campaign headquarters will see to it that loyal supporters receive phone calls from volunteers. However, the activity is expected to be limited due to budget considerations.
Some of the party's senior leaders plan to tour polling stations.
Activists to make phone calls, bring people to vote
Yisrael Beiteinu's leader Avigdor Lieberman is scheduled to vote at the local polling station near his Nokdim home in the morning before going on a tour in the south.Party MK Stas Misezhnikov told Ynet that 500 activists were ready to deploy across the country Tuesday, while dozens others will make phone calls to potential voters starting at 9 am.
Yisrael Beiteinu candidate and former Israeli Ambassador to Washington Danny Ayalon has been tasked with briefing the foreign press. "This is a new and very exciting experience for me," he said.
Shas' spiritual leader rabbi Ovadia Yosef and the party's chairman Eli Yishai were expected hold a morning prayer at the rabbi's Jerusalem home before going to vote. Shas' other MKs will tour different parts of the country while 500 telemarketing systems will make calls to the party's potential electorate and remind them to cast their ballot.
Activists of the New Movement-Meretz plan to give one final push on Tuesday and try and persuade undecided voters, as well as Kadima and Labor supporters to vote for Meretz.
Meanwhile, some 180,000 potential Habayit Hayehudi voters will receive text messages and phone calls from volunteers urging them to vote, stressing the need for religious representation at the next Knesset.
polling station (Photo: Reuters)
The National Union planned to have hundreds of volunteers making phone calls and operating campaign stands in central support areas.
United Torah Judaism's leaders were hoping that a recorded message from Mk Meir Porush will help convince undecided voters to come out of their homes. The party will also operate a transportation system to help people get to the polling stations.
Hadash Chairman Mohammad Barakeh will open the day with phone calls to all the party's branch heads, in which he will encourage them to go out and get voters to the polling stations. The party heads will visit branches and convene at their headquarters in Nazareth after voting concludes.
Mk Ahmad Tibi, who heads United Arab List-Ta'al's campaign headquarters, reported of "a good atmosphere" on the day before the elections. The party's MKs will visit polling stations throughout Tuesday and activists ill help drive people to their polling station in light of the forecasted stormy weather.
