Democratic Union candidate Stav Shaffir told a group of dozens of hi-tech professionals that Israel needs an "air train" to bring "as many Israelis as possible from Israel and around the world" to vote and influence what she called "the democratic future of Israel," Maariv reported.
"The future of hi-tech in Israel will be more influenced by the political and liberal atmosphere in Israeli society than by the amount of taxes," she said. "A place which discriminates against women, chases gender identity, harms the freedom of thought, and limits individuals' rights is not a place where a knowledge-based industry can lead."
"Fulfillment of [Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin] Netanyahu and [Transportation Minister Bezalel] Smotrich's (Yamina) vision of a bi-national country will change Israel from the start-up nation to a weakened country."
She also spoke about the need for an advanced educational system that challenges and inspires students, and said she would work to build "a completely new budget" that would change how things are prioritized and erase "sectorial considerations."
She called on the hi-tech professionals and the general public to encourage their friends and family to vote, and asked them to share relevant posts and hashtag them with #savingthedemocracy and #air_train.