Likud Netanyahu seeks to extend voting hours because the record turnout warns the right Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu Likud submitted a request to the Central Election Commission to keep polling stations open after 10:00 p.m. The ultra-Orthodox Shas party supported the request and asked for another hour. The turnout reached 55.7% by 4:00 p.m., the highest at that time since records began in 1973, with particularly strong participation in Arab communities and left-wing regions. Meanwhile, the turnout in some of the largest Likud strongholds from 2022 is below the national average. Shas chairman Aryeh Deri admitted that he is very concerned about apathy among ultra-Orthodox and right-wing voters, and called the high turnout on the left and among Arab voters a deep concern. Former army chief Gadi Eisenkots Ishar, Netanyahu's main contender, opposed the request, accusing the Likud of setting the stage to challenge the election results after Netanyahu spent the day claiming his opponents tried to steal the votes. According to "Yediot Ahronoth", the committee rejected the request for the time being but will reconsider later. Those standing in line until 22:00 will still be allowed to vote.