President Reuven Rivlin today, Wednesday, received the official results of the elections to the 23rd Knesset from Chairman of the Central Elections Committee Judge Neil Hendel in a ceremony at Beit HaNasi.
“Honored guests, this is the fourth time I have received the results of elections to the Knesset, and the third time we are meeting here in the space of 11 months. Elections are always a moment of instability that can undermine social solidarity, which is the foundation of the healthy functioning of our democratic state. This is a moment at which the disagreements and differences between us are highlighted, in which the broad consensus is marginalized and everything becomes political," the President said.
"At this point in time, which has turned the last year into an exhausting year of elections, the Central Elections Committee has been an anchor of stability, the gate-keeper of Israel’s order and of the sensitive democratic mechanisms that are so precious. The committee, headed by Judge Neil Hendel, has stood firm against the many challenges – those we expected and those we did not – it faced, even when required to find a solution for the thousands of Israelis instructed to be in self-isolation for fear of the spread of the Coronavirus. They were promised, and were able to exercise, their democratic right to participate in the elections to the Knesset.
"The professionalism of the committee, that again did its job without fear or favor, is a precondition for protecting public confidence in the system, a task that became even harder in light of the frustration with repeated elections.
"The well-known Arab saying tells us ‘haste is from the Devil and patience is from God. The elections committee was wise to work according to this principle, with patience, care and consideration, taking everything seriously as appropriate for those dealing with ensuring clean elections, which are the Holy of Holies of every democracy. The committee made sure that every single vote was heard, counted, computed. In the Jewish-democratic equation, every vote counts. ‘There is one law and one set of regulations that apply both to you and to the stranger residing among you. (Numbers 15:16)’. In the State of Israel, there are no half-citizens. There are deep disagreements, but no semi-citizens.
"On behalf of the people of Israel, and on behalf of all citizens of Israel, I would like to thank you, members of the Central Elections Committee, for your devotion and for taking upon yourselves this task from a true sense of public duty and commitment to Israeli democracy and the democratic values of the State of Israel.
"This is the place to remind party heads and elected officials that this house, and I personally, are at your disposal for any serious and genuine conversation you may wish to hold. Any agreement you are able to come to that produces a stable government that gains the trust of the people will be welcomed.
"Among other options, you have the outline I offered at the last elections. I am certainly aware of the criticism of the outline that I presented then, and agree with much of it. But I did not believe there was another way and, even today, the situation has not changed a great deal. There are many who are looking here with hope that answers will come from this house. The answers are for you to find, those who the public elected as its leaders, and I hereby place the task in your hands once again.
"I am hopeful that the 23rd Knesset that will be sworn in next week will last longer than its predecessors, and that the president who stands here to receive the results of the elections to the 24th Knesset will be someone else.”