Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid cast his ballot on Tuesday morning in the country’s national election.
“Vote wisely; vote for the State of Israel, the future of our children and our future in general,” he said at a polling station set up at the Ramat Aviv Gimmel School in Tel Aviv.
For his part, Israeli President Isaac Herzog voted in Jerusalem, saying afterwards: “Israel is a true democracy. Millions of voters will go out today to vote and decide as to the future and direction of our nation.”
He continued, “We should always respect this enormous right that we have, as there are so many nations and billions of human beings who unfortunately do not enjoy this right.”
Opposition leader and former premier Benjamin Netanyahu likewise cast a ballot in Jerusalem, calling the democratic right “a great privilege.”
He said early voting trends showed higher turnout in “left-wing areas,” and urged supporters of his Likud Party to head to the polls.
“I’m a little bit worried, but with the help of everyone who hears us, I hope the day will end in a smile,” he said.
Meanwhile, Religious Zionism Party parliamentarian Itamar Ben-Gvir voted in Kiryat Arba, in Judea and Samaria.
“With one ballot slip, you get [Likud Party and opposition leader Benjamin] Netanyahu as prime minister along with a full-on right-wing government,” he said, according to Israeli media.
