Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has secured the withdrawal of a small Haredi political party from the current election race. The party, led by supporters of Rabbi Haim Yosef Abergel, agreed to exit the contest following discussions with the Prime Minister. Netanyahu publicly thanked Abergel for his decision, stating that the rabbi demonstrated a genuine concern for the welfare of the Israeli people.

This move is part of a wider effort by Netanyahu to pressure smaller political factions to drop out of the race, a strategy aimed at preventing the fragmentation of the right-wing vote. By encouraging these smaller parties to withdraw, the Likud party hopes to ensure that votes are not 'wasted' on factions that may fail to cross the electoral threshold, thereby strengthening the overall position of the right-wing bloc.

While the withdrawal is being framed as a strategic consolidation, reports from television outlets suggest that the Likud party is simultaneously preparing for other aspects of the election process. Specifically, there are reports that Likud is readying legal or procedural challenges regarding the results from polling stations in Arab-majority areas. These dual efforts—consolidating the right-wing base while preparing to challenge results in opposition-heavy districts—highlight the high-stakes nature of the current electoral environment. The withdrawal of the Abergel-backed faction is expected to have a marginal but potentially significant impact on the final seat distribution in the Knesset.