Bezalel Smotrich
Bezalel SmotrichHezki Baruch

Transportation Minister Bezalel Smotrich (Yamina) told supporters at a post-election gathering at Yamina party headquarters Tuesday night that a right-wing government would be formed, despite exit polls showing the Right short of the 61 seats necessary to form a coalition.

“A right-wing government will be established, and we will be an influential force” within it, said Smotrich. “[Ehud] Barak and [Stav] Shafir attacked us, and they were joined by people who wasted votes,” continued Smotrich, in a thinly-veiled attack on the Otzma Yehudit party, which exit polls show failing to clear the 3.25% electoral threshold.

Smotrich suggested that given the challenges facing Yamina during the campaign, party activists should not feel disappointed with the results.

“I don’t understand the feelings [of disappointment]. We went through a period, the likes of which I’ve never seen a movement endure and come out with its head held high the way Religious Zionism did.”

“The movement is alive and kicking, despite all of those who attacked it, incited against it, and smeared it. We’re here despite them.”

Despite pre-election polls showing Yamina with eight to ten seats, the three major exit polls project Yamina winning six, seven, or eight seats, respectively.

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