As the exit poll results draw near in the highly anticipated Israeli election, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is tenacious as ever in his bid to shore up hardliner right wing votes. The latest in a series of last-ditch efforts involves Netanyahu warning of “threats” posed by his country’s citizens turning out to vote.
The warning came in the form of a message sent by Netanyahu’s Likud Party to Israelis on Election Day and was in reference to Arab Israelis turning out to vote.
"Voter turnout in the Arab sector is three times higher! The threat is real: Abu Mazen's calls and American money are getting the Arab vote out. Go and vote."
According to a post on his Facebook wall, the Arab voter turnout is putting his party’s rule "in danger." And it is the US and Left wing organizations that are to blame for this.
"Arab voters are going to the polls in droves. Left wing organizations are bringing them in buses."
While one would be hard-pressed to call any kind of voter turnout "threatening" in a democratic election, data show another reason for why Netanyahu’s fears are completely unfounded.
According to Ynet News, turnout among Arab Israelis is similar to the average in previous elections, with some communities even reporting lower turnout than usual.
The statement comes in light of recent polls that show Likud slightly dragging behind the center-left Zionist Union, headed by Isaac Herzog, thus putting the Prime Minister’s reign in jeopardy.
Indeed, what with him accusing the US of sending money to get the “Arab vote out,” it seems as if Netanyahu is nervous enough to start grasping at straws.
