Thursday May 15, 2025
NEWSLETTER
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
  • In Memoriam
www.israelhayom.com
Home Special Coverage 2019 Election

Netanyahu: We're on the brink of losing the election

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells Israel Hayom that in the home stretch of a particularly brutal election campaign, a victory for the Right is by no means assured, and complacency among Likud voters could hand the next government to the Left.

by  Boaz Bismuth and Amnon Lord
Published on  04-04-2019 09:59
Last modified: 04-05-2019 12:36
Netanyahu: We're on the brink of losing the electionOren Ben Hakoon

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: The problem for the Likud is complacence | Photo: Oren Ben Hakoon

Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

"We're very close to losing the battle," Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tells Israel Hayom in a special interview days before the Knesset election.

"We found a factor we hadn't noticed until last night. That factor is that what we have here is opposite of 2015," Netanyahu says.

"Whereas in 2015 the Left was complacent and the Right was enlisting to vote – today the opposite is happening. The Right is complacent and the Left is enlisting to vote. When polls ask how many people intend to vote, the Left gets 100%. Not 99.2% – 100%. Everyone is going to vote. And on the Right, we're seeing notable lower percentages than that, around 80%. The difference in percentages is equivalent to about five seats," Netanyahu says.

The prime minister is worried, maybe even stressed – a description he likes for his enemies. One night last week, Netanyahu was sitting with his campaign advisers, including expert pollsters, and after an in-depth review of the polls, they concluded that the problem on the Right – particularly the Likud – was insouciance.

Netanyahu thinks this is an issue that will decide the election, or at least he is intentionally giving off that impression.

"Significant percentages of nonvoters could cost us two more seats. With gaps like these, there's a possibility we could lose the bloc, and the gap between us and Lapid-Gantz could increase by five more seats," he says.

When Israel Hayom asks him if this factor is going to lead to a Likud loss, Netanyahu says, "We'll definitely lose [if people don't vote]."

One person who has paid a high price in this thuggish election is Netanyahu's son, Yair. Netanyahu backs him up: "My son is always facing a wave of slander, and he doesn't accept the convention that allows his image to be trampled. Even when he was still a kid, he was the subject of parody. He isn't willing to bow down."

"These attacks are coming from my political critics. I'm sorry he has to live a life of political storms. They are murdering his character. They are putting him on the firing line. I wouldn't recommend that anyone suffer these injuries."

Since the main issues on the election agenda – after accusations of treason and psychosis – are economy and security, Israel Hayom asked the prime minister whom he would pick for finance minister and defense minister.

"That is of no interest. I'm not dividing up the spoils, because of now, they're going to them [the Left] if the Right doesn't get its act together."

"If Likud voters don't come to their senses, we'll lose the election. The Likud/right-wing voters don't realize that not only isn't the election in our pocket, right now it's actually in theirs [the Left]. Because they are fighting tooth and nail. Our people are sitting around, sanguine. If they don't realize that they have to go and vote, all our achievements will be lost," Netanyahu says.

Tags: electionKnessetLikudNetanyahuRight

Related Posts

Netanyahu's offer for unity government rebuffed by rival GantzReuters/Ronen Zvulun, Nir Elias, Amir Cohen/File Photo

Lieberman gives up on unity government, says Israel on 'sure path to third election'

by Israel Hayom Staff

Yisrael Beytenu head blames both Blue and White and Likud for what many consider a nightmare scenario

Mandate in hand, Gantz struggles to make progress in coalition talksOren Ben Hakoon, Reuters

Mandate in hand, Gantz struggles to make progress in coalition talks

by Yehuda Shlezinger, Danielle Roth-Avneri and Gideon Allon

With members of right-wing bloc rejecting Benny Gantz's offers to meet for coalition talks, Likud officials call on Blue and...

A façade of governability

by Dr. Eithan Orkibi

The Right has been consistent in its principles, whereas the Left – poised to move into power for the first...

Menu

Analysis 

Archaeology

Blogpost

Business & Finance

Culture

Exclusive

Explainer

Environment

 

Features

Health

In Brief

Jewish World

Judea and Samaria

Lifestyle

Cyber & Internet

Sports

 

Diplomacy 

Iran & The Gulf

Gaza Strip

Politics

Shopping

Terms of use

Privacy Policy

Submissions

Contact Us

About Us

The first issue of Israel Hayom appeared on July 30, 2007. Israel Hayom was founded on the belief that the Israeli public deserves better, more balanced and more accurate journalism. Journalism that speaks, not shouts. Journalism of a different kind. And free of charge.

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il

Newsletter

[contact-form-7 id=”508379″ html_id=”isrh_form_Newsletter_en” title=”newsletter_subscribe”]

  • Home
  • News
    • Gaza War
    • US Election Coverage
    • Middle East
    • Cyber & Internet
    • Business & Finance
    • Sports
  • Opinions
  • Jewish World
    • Archaeology
    • Antisemitism
  • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion
    • Culture
  • Magazine
    • Feature
    • Analysis
    • Explainer
    • Environment & Wildlife
    • Health & Wellness
  • In Memoriam
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit your opinion
  • Terms and conditions

All rights reserved to Israel Hayom

Hosted by sPD.co.il