Naftali Bennett had hoped to return as prime minister, but according to television exit polls the anti-Netanyahu bloc remains short of the 61 seats needed for a majority, Gadi Eisenkot's Yashar! party has emerged as the larger force, and Bennett's Beyachad party is projected to win just 12 to 13 seats. Bennett did not comment for two hours after the exit polls were released, finally appearing at his party's headquarters in Tel Aviv well after midnight to deliver a speech.
"People of Israel, hold your heads high! The alliance of those who serve has defeated the alliance of draft dodgers," Bennett declared. "The people of Israel have risen and spoken: Netanyahu has lost, and the October 7 government is going home! The draft-dodging coalition has collapsed from 68 seats to 50."
Naftali Bennett speaks at his party's headquarters
(Photo: Ido Erez)
Bennett stressed that the official results must still be awaited and announced that talks between the leaders of the anti-Netanyahu bloc were already underway.
"We will patiently await the actual results, because a great deal can still change. But already, we, the leaders of the bloc seeking change, are talking and coordinating. We will do everything, without ego, to establish a Zionist government built on an alliance of those who serve, a government of people who get things done, that will run the country responsibly and serve all the people of Israel!"
Bennett then addressed the public directly. "My brothers and sisters, the greatest love of my life is my love for my people. For you. There is no other people like us in the world. We are a nation of fighters, a strong people who never give up. Hold your heads high. We will never give up on our country."
He promised to bring the spirit of his meetings with citizens throughout the campaign into the country's leadership. "Leadership that listens to the people's pain and embraces them. That is exactly the spirit we will bring from the grassroots gatherings across the country to the Israeli parliament, to the leadership of the state."
Bennett also addressed the war and its consequences, pledging: "We will make sure that the enormous price the people of Israel paid in this difficult war was not in vain. We will be united at home and strong against our enemies abroad."
He thanked his wife, Gilat, and his family, as well as his political partner Yair Lapid, whom he described as "a leader, an Israeli patriot and a true friend."
Toward the end of his speech, Bennett thanked campaign staff, activists and volunteers. "In all my years in politics, I have never seen anything like this. You worked day and night, with creativity, determination and an enormous love for this people," he said.
"There has never been a campaign like this in the history of the State of Israel," he added, concluding with a call to action: "And now, let's get to work. We have a country to fix! Am Yisrael Chai!"
Bennett arrived at party headquarters alongside Lapid, the No. 2 candidate on his list, who had declared minutes after the exit polls were published: "Don't let anyone confuse you. Netanyahu's bloc has suffered a crushing defeat. This is a complete collapse, and the public has told them to go home."
Bennett and Lapid, who both served as prime minister during the previous change government, joined forces in April with the establishment of the Beyachad party. Until then, Lapid had headed Yesh Atid, the party he founded in 2013.
Bennett returned to politics after taking a break following the end of his tenure as prime minister and amid widespread criticism from the right over his alliance with parties from the opposing political bloc, particularly Mansour Abbas' Ra'am party.
The first political partnership between Bennett and Lapid came after the 2013 election, when they formed what became known as the "brothers' alliance" within Netanyahu's government, in which both served.
When Beyachad was established six months ago, Bennett appeared to be Netanyahu's main challenger for the premiership. But following the formation of Eisenkot's party, Beyachad slipped to become the third-largest party in the polls. Over the past month, however, the polling trend had begun to shift.