The first phone call made by Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu after the publication of the results of the television exit polls was to Bezalel Smotrich, in order to congratulate him on the Religious Zionist Party winning seven seats.
Later, Netanyahu also called Shas chairman Minister Aryeh Deri, congratulated him and the two agreed to continue talking later on Tuesday night.
Religious Zionist candidate Orit Strook told Arutz Sheva, "We are happy with the exit polls, overall we have felt for a long time that there is a large public that is yearning to hold their heads high, to raise our flags without shame, to tell our truth which comes from Torah and the love of the Land of Israel."
MK David Bitan of the Likud was asked on Channel 12 News about the expected negotiations on forming a coalition and said, "Everything is open at the moment, we must first see the real results. We have to negotiate with both Bennett and Smotrich and that will not be easy."
Nir Barkat, number 7 on the Likud slate, told Kan 11 News, "Bennett and Sa'ar have crashed, they have no mandate to be Prime Minister, they need to accept the decision of the public."
Shas chairman and Interior Minister Aryeh Deri said after the publication of the exit polls, "Thank you very much to the hundreds of thousands of Shas voters for their great trust, thank you to the thousands of activists for their hard work. Shas is the third largest party. I promise and pledge: Everything will be done to justify your trust. And again, thank you from the bottom of my heart."