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Wednesday, October 7, 2026
Netanyahu, Smotrich to join forces on right-wing vote turnout drive; Ben Gvir left out
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich are reportedly to hold a joint election conference in Jerusalem tomorrow aimed at boosting turnout among right-wing voters.
The conference, titled “Saving the Right,” will bring together Netanyahu and Smotrich with Religious Zionist rabbis, yeshiva heads, activists and other public figures to prepare for the October 27 election.
The two parties are also reportedly establishing a joint election day operation, headed by Yesha Council chairman Israel Gantz, to increase right-wing turnout, according to Channel 12.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, whose far-right Otzma Yehudit ran on a merged slate with Religious Zionism in the last election but is running separately this time, was not invited to the event and reportedly only learned of it after being contacted by the Kan public broadcaster.
Likud signed a surplus-vote agreement with Religious Zionism yesterday. Ben Gvir’s party accused Netanyahu of seeking to shut Otzma Yehudit out of a future government.
Reports differ, however, on the significance of Ben Gvir’s exclusion, with organizers saying the conference is simply aimed at Religious Zionism’s particular network of rabbis, yeshiva students and activists.
Netanyahu has previously pushed Ben Gvir and Smotrich to run together, publicly warning in August that their failure to unite could cost the right-wing bloc votes, which Ben Gvir rejected.
The Times of Israel Community.