Miriam Peretz, who ran in Israel's presidential elections against incoming President Isaac Herzog, spoke before the results were announced about the significance of the day.
Prior to her arrival at the Knesset, Peretz traveled from her Givat Ze'ev home to Mount Herzl to visit the graves of her sons Uriel and Eliraz.
"I'm the girl who immigrated from Morocco, arrived in Israel, went through the immigrant camp life, and merited to run for President of Israel," she said. "That's the joy, that's the pride - not in strength and not in force, not in the number of Knesset seats, and not in the number of votes."
"We will overcome the missiles in Gaza - we won't succeed in overcoming he negative spirit. We have an amazing country - we must not cover it in fog."
MK Bezalel Smotrich, who heads the Knesset's Religious Zionism party, on Wednesday morning announced that his party would support Miriam Peretz's candidacy for the presidency.
"Miriam's story is the story of the State of Israel and of the Jewish people," Smotrich said, noting that these "are in processes of revival that we merit to see in our own generations - generations of crises and growth, from faith, honoring the name of Heaven, connection and real love for the nation, the Torah, and the Land."
"The people of Israel and the presidential institution will be blessed by her, G-d willing."
Meanwhile, the Shas and Blue and White parties had announced that their members will be able to vote \according to their conscience.