Netanyahu called for "a huge victory" in primaries in the Likud; Saar: "Can make a change"

116,000 party members will decide today whether Netanyahu continues to lead the party, or whether Saar will defeat the projections. PM Olmert Calls for Voters to Vote for Him: "We Have Made Great Achievements, Trust You." Knesset Member Sa'ar Urges Voters to Make Change: "We Will Bring a New Line to the People of Israel"

Netanyahu called for "a huge victory" in primaries in the Likud; Saar: "Can make a change"

116,000 Likud voters will choose the leader of the movement for the next election on Thursday, in primaries that will decide whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will continue to lead the party, despite the indictments, or whether Gideon Sa'ar will rebut all forecasts and estimates and lead the revolution. The 106 polling stations across the country will be open until 11pm, and the results are expected to be released only tomorrow morning.

Netanyahu called on voters to vote for him. "We have made tremendous achievements for the State of Israel and it is important that we continue to provide an overwhelming answer to the left and the media," he read. "They will not decide who will lead us, only we will decide. So, come out to vote for me and together we will bring a huge victory to the Likud and further to the elections for the Knesset and the State of Israel. Trust you."

Sa'ar came to vote at the polls in Tel Aviv and asked for the trust of the functionaries. "I believe we can make a change, bring in a new line that the people of Israel are waiting for and that the new public in the State of Israel is waiting for," he said. "We can win today, embarking on a new path that will allow us to establish a strong and stable government that will also allow us to unite with the people of Israel. If we do not make this change, we could risk the government of our political rivals in a very short time."

Prior to the opening of the polls, for the purpose of Sa'ar, serious complaints were made. The headquarters claim that there are polling stations that were opened before time in violation of the law, and observers on behalf of Saar's headquarters were banned from entering. At the headquarters, they issued a letter to the election committee on the issue.

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Concern about low voting rates due to the weather. MK Shlomo Qari, today

MK Shlomo Qarai points to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Likud primaries, in the ballot in Beer Sheva, December 26, 2019 (Photo: Untitled)

Netanyahu is widely believed to be a great favorite forever, while Sa'ar faces the race mainly as a preparation for the next round, the day after Netanyahu. Anyone who has faced Netanyahu for Likud leadership over the past decade has received about 20-25% of the support, and Sa'ar aims to achieve a more impressive achievement in order to strengthen his power and status as the leading candidate to network Netanyahu.

Likud fears that rainy weather will hurt voter turnout and that the storm will leave the house-holders at home and help storm. In general, Sa'ar, which leads to a smaller and more organized camp, is considered to benefit from low voter turnout, while Netanyahu, who enjoys mostly free voter support, is pushing for as high a voting rate as possible to achieve a clear victory. Given the weather forecast and the lack of functional surveys that can confirm the estimates, surprises should not be ruled out.

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Continuing the Netanyahu era or upheaval. MK Sa'ar (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Gideon Sa'ar in interview at Walla Studio, December 22, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

A great favorite for victory. Netanyahu at Haifa Likud-led Primaries Campaign Event (Photo: Sharon Revivo)

PM Benjamin Netanyahu at Haifa Likud's Prime Ministerial Campaign Event, December 17, 2019 (Photo: Sharon Revivo, official website)

During the primaries campaign, Saar's headquarters made serious allegations to the Likud leader and party apparatus for biasing the terms of the election in Netanyahu's favor, and doubts and complaints are also expected to continue during the election itself to the Hamas Electoral Commission in Kfar Maccabiah. For example, the Central Election Commission decided It would not be nationwide, but that every member of staff would be required to vote only at the branch to which he was associated. ”At Saar headquarters, they argued that it was intended to offend him, as many of his supporters had been plotted at distant polls, and the organized functionaries who were accustomed to voting at one ballot had to put more effort into casting the ballot.

The polls that were cut against the previous elections are all located in Judea and Samaria, a stronghold of Sa'ar, and the Likud director also delayed in the news and publicity about the polls placed in southern Tel Aviv, another city where Sa'ar was considered popular. Likewise, in recent weeks, the Likud administration has scrapped a number of voters' names of members identified with Sa'ar and the new Likudnik group, which is expected to support it largely, although it has officially stated that it does not support any of the candidates.

The primaries have culminated in the battle between Netanyahu and Saar, which has intensified in the last two years since Saar made a comeback to politics. As a Democratic Party, Likud's history is rife with stories of battles and camps, but Sa'ar and his supporters have been blamed during the campaign for subversion and knife-banging at the back of the party.

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Voters in Beersheba, today (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Likud primaries, Beer Sheva, December 26, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

The party has been divided between the two camps in the past two weeks, with most of the faction in the Knesset and almost the entire top of the list standing behind Netanyahu - Israel Katz, Gilad Arden, Miri Regev, Yariv Levin, Nir Barkat, Yoav Galant, Gilo Gamaliel, Avi Dichter, Ze'ev Elkin, Ophir Akunis, Zahi Hanegbi, Yuval Steinitz, Amir Ohana, David Bitten, Uncle Amsalem, Miki Zohar, Tzipi Hotobli, Ophir Katz, Keren Barak, Shlomo Kari and Katy Sheetrit.

On the other side, four MKs joined the Saar camp and expressed public support: Yoav Kish, Sharan Hachal, Michal Shir and Eti Atia. , Who is considered a supporter of the storm but has not publicly called on him to vote.

(First Update: 2:36)

Netanyahu supporters today (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Netanyahu supporters in Likud primaries, Beer Sheva, December 26, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Saar supporters today (Photo: Reuven Castro)

Gideon Sa'ar supporters in Likud primaries, Beer Sheva, December 26, 2019 (Photo: Reuven Castro)