Netanyahu Fights For Right-Wing Vote As Israelis Go To The Polls

JERUSALEM (AP) -- With his political future in question, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday made a last-ditch appeal as Israelis went to the polls in a tight parliamentary election, warning his hard-line supporters that high Arab turnout was endangering his right-wing party's dominance.

Opinion polls had shown a close race heading into the vote, with Netanyahu's opponents, led by Isaac Herzog of the centrist Zionist Union, in a slight lead. They also showed gains by a combined Arab list that could emerge as a kingmaker. The last available poll was published Friday, when a significant number of voters were still undecided, meaning the race was still too close to call.

But amid signs that his six-year reign could be in jeopardy, Netanyahu has veered sharply to the right in the closing days of the campaign, making a series of statements aimed at shoring up his nationalist base.

On Tuesday, he reiterated a pledge to prevent the establishment of a Palestinian state, putting him at odds with the United States and other Western allies.

He also claimed that his right-wing Likud Party's rule was "in danger" because of Arab voters going to the polls "in droves."

Late Tuesday, he issued a final plea, warning of a "significant gap" between Likud and the Zionist Union, and blaming unnamed foreign interests for working against him. "We are in a fateful campaign," he said. "The only way to minimize that gap is to go to the polling station and vote" Likud.

Netanyahu has used similar doomsday language in the past to rally supporters to the polls. But his comments about Arab voters were remarkable because they targeted Israeli citizens, and quickly drew accusations of racism. Israel's Arabs, who make up 20 percent of the population, have long complained of discrimination.

A new joint list of Arab parties, unifying four factions, has energized Arab voters and was pushing for a high turnout in the usually apathetic sector.

"I know that usually the prime minister in each country encourages the people to go vote. Then why is Benjamin Netanyahu getting scared when the people are voting?" Ayman Odeh, the Arab list's leader, told The Associated Press in the northern city of Nazareth. "I say he is right, he should be scared, because he only has a few hours left as a prime minister."

Shelly Yacimovich, a lawmaker with the Zionist Union, said on her Twitter feed that no Western leader would have uttered such a "racist" remark. "Imagine a warning that begins with 'the rule is endangered. Black voters are heading in droves to the polls,' " she wrote.

Wadea Awawdeh, a resident of the Arab town of Kfar Kana, said Netanyahu "cannot hide his racist feelings toward the Arabs" anymore. "Netanyahu is angry because he feels he is losing."

Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.com/
Author:  DANIEL ESTRIN