First publication: Religious Zionism prepares for "Emergency Call-Up" ahead of elections

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich convened dozens of city coordinators and municipal representatives of the Religious Zionism party on short notice, 13 days before the elections. The meeting presented data on complacency among right-wing voters, and Smotrich instructed a shift to intensive field operations, akin to an "emergency call-up," to prevent vote loss.

Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party chairman Bezalel Smotrich convened dozens of city coordinators, campaign managers, and municipal representatives of the party from across the country today (Wednesday) on short notice. The closed emergency meeting was held against the backdrop of data presented to the minister indicating high complacency among right-wing voters. During the gathering, data from in-depth surveys conducted among target audiences of the national camp were presented. According to the data, a significant portion of potential voters do not intend to go to the polls, or have not yet decided whether to vote. Religious Zionism warned that low voter turnout, along with political fragmentation and a multitude of parties, could jeopardize the strength of the right-wing bloc. Smotrich compared the current political situation to the 1992 elections, in which the left led by Yitzhak Rabin won. At the conclusion of the meeting, the finance minister instructed the representatives to move to intensive field work, in a format defined as an "emergency call-up." This will involve activating phone banks, conducting home visits, and strengthening local campaign headquarters. The representatives were instructed to focus on conveying a simple message: national camp voters must go to the polls and vote for parties that pass the electoral threshold.