Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned against a unity government with Gadi Eisenkot on Tuesday night, as exit polls following Israel’s national election projected his Otzma Yehudit party would win six to seven Knesset seats.
Otzma Yehudit had received about 5.5% of valid votes in Wednesday morning’s partial results, according to the Central Elections Committee, with more than 4 million ballots counted.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud led with about 21%. His bloc—including United Torah Judaism, Otzma Yehudit, Shas and Religious Zionism-Zehut—had secured roughly 43% of the vote.
Eisenkot’s Yashar had received about 16%. Together with B’Yachad, the Democrats and Yisrael Beiteinu, his bloc had garnered roughly 37%.
The results remained provisional, with final results due to be published by Nov. 4, according to the Central Elections Committee.
Addressing supporters at election headquarters in Modi’in on Tuesday night, Ben-Gvir held out hope that the right-wing bloc could still assemble a governing majority.
“We hope that the Channel 14 poll will prove accurate and that the right is very close to forming a right-wing government, with God’s help,” he said.
Ben-Gvir said discussion of a unity government with Eisenkot echoed a scenario he had warned about for months, despite repeated denials from Likud colleagues.
“And here we are, just two minutes after the exit polls were released, hearing all sorts of people talking about a unity government with Eisenkot,” he said.
“And I say to those people: Don’t make this mistake. Don’t destroy the State of Israel.”
Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King, speaking to JNS at the gathering immediately after the exit polls were released, predicted that Netanyahu would pursue a unity government that excluded Otzma Yehudit.
“I believe Bibi will establish a coalition with Avigdor Liberman, with Gadi Eisenkot and maybe also with Ofer Winter, if he gets through,” King said.
Winter’s Amcha Yisrael party had received about 1.7% of valid votes in Wednesday morning’s partial count, below the 3.25% electoral threshold required to enter the Knesset.
King said he believed such a coalition would exclude the haredi and Arab parties as well, although Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism might join. He said he believed Netanyahu wanted a national unity government in what King expected would be Netanyahu’s final term as prime minister.
Ahead of the election, Eisenkot had ruled out the prospect of serving under Netanyahu, even in a rotation arrangement.
Ben-Gvir also touted on Tuesday night what he described as his party’s achievements in government.
“I am proud that last time I promised to legislate the death penalty for terrorists, and we delivered,” he said.
He also claimed to have ended lenient prison conditions for terrorists, and pointed to the demolition of illegal structures in the Negev.
“We did not enter politics to apologize for our principles,” he said. “We came here, and we are proud of our principles and our actions,” he added.
