Top business intelligence firm says Benny Gantz, top aides were the victims of a "powerful and unprecedented attack by Russian hackers." No sensitive data was compromised as neither Gantz nor his staff saved any vulnerable data on their mobile devices, party insiders say.
A day after declaring that Zehut would not drop out of the election despite pressure from the Likud, party leader Moshe Feiglin tells Army Radio that "an unexpected opportunity has arisen."
So far, neither party appears willing to drop out, despite tempting offers reportedly made to Zehut leader Moshe Feiglin, who scheduled a party conference in Tel Aviv for Tuesday.
Supreme Court Justice Hanan Melcer rules political parties cannot set up monitoring systems in polling stations, ordering instead the installation of an oversight monitoring unit to ensure the integrity of the voting process.
Aryeh Deri’s political rival is said to be in negotiations to join Ashkenazi ultra-Orthodox party. Yishai says his base could boost United Torah Judaism’s Knesset presence by one seat but demands a guarantee he will be named a minister. UTJ leaders reportedly in favor of move, but want PM Netanyahu to sign off on it.
Benzi Gopstein, leader of extremist group Lehava, and Baruch Marzel, both members of the far-Right Otzma Yehudit party, were barred for inciting racism against Arabs. Supreme Court denies separate petition calling to bar Otzma Yehudit chief Itamar Ben-Gvir from running for Knesset.
Political parties alarmed by poll predicting low voter turnout on Sept. 17, outline various plans seeking to mobilizing supporters come Election Day.
Israel Hayom-i24NEWS survey finds 60% of Israelis plan to vote for the same party in September as they did in April, while 23% plan to vote differently. Poll project razor-thin victory for Likud with 32 Knesset seats, predicts Blue and White will win 31 seats.
Dismissing criticism as "laughable," Yisrael Beytenu chief says vote-sharing deal preferable to Netanyahu's "surrender" to Hamas in Gaza. Meanwhile, Amir Peretz's interview with Israel Hayom raises concerns among Labor party activists.
In an effort to see no vote go to waste, Likud and Yamina sign surplus vote-sharing agreement, as do the Democratic Union and Labor. Blue and White, Yisrael Beytenu reach a similar deal. Parties must inform the Central Election Committee of such deals by Sept. 6.