Labor chairman MK Yitzhak Herzog and Hatnua chairwoman MK Tzipi Livni both said on Monday evening that the upcoming elections are an opportunity for Israelis to vote for leadership that will be a true alternative to Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu and the Likud party.
Both Herzog and Livni wrote on their Facebook pages, after the Knesset voted 93:0 to dissolve itself, paving the way for the elections to the 20th Knesset that will be held in March.
“It’s over and done with. The days of the worst government in Israel in recent years are over. Now and over the next 100 days it is up to each and every one of you,” Herzog wrote.
“I and the members of the Labor party, who turned Labor into what it is today, who are a real alternative to the government, are committed to taking Israel down a new path, to bring hope and to lead the next government. We will do this in leading a large central camp, for the sake of Israel,” he added.
Livni, for her part, wrote that “the decision on the election is that of a prime minister who was afraid of his ministers.”
“But you know what? It's a tremendous opportunity to create a government who will make political and security-related decisions in a responsible manner and maintain a Jewish-democratic state. In short, a Zionist government and not a cynical government. A Zionist government and not a radical government,” she added.
“The battle will be between the Zionist center and the extreme right. These are the elections in which we will win!” declared Livni.
Earlier Monday, MKs from the hareidi United Torah Judaism party welcomed the dissolution of the Knesset as well, calling the outgoing government “the worst one in the country's history.”
Livni and Herzog’s comments as they continue to hold talks about running in a joint Labor-Hatnua list in the next elections.
A poll released Monday found that a pact between Labor and Hatnua could see it win the most seats in the 20th Knesset.
According to the poll, which surveyed some 500 respondents, the Labor-Hatnua pact would win 23 Knesset seats, edging out Likud's 21. Jewish Home would come third with 18 seat, while all of the "centrist" parties - including Moshe Kahlon's new party, Avigdor Liberman's shifting Yisrael Beytenu, and Yesh Atid - would gain nine seats each. United Torah Judaism would win eight seats, Shas would win seven, Meretz would win six and the Arab parties (United Arab List, Balad, and Hadash) would win 10 seats altogether.
However, in the event Hatnua and Labor do not run on a joint list, Labor would gain just 17 seats - while Livni's Hatnua would not pass the Knesset threshold.