Not Only Netanyahu: What Really Decided the Likud Campaign in the Elections?

Rami Piro, a former member of the Likud campaign management, analyzes the election campaign: Netanyahu led an intensive lecture campaign at age 77, but thousands of field activists were the ones who executed it. Piro criticizes Shas for distancing itself from the traditional public and Otzma Yehudit for confusing popularity with electoral support.

Rami Piro, a legal expert and mediator in the political and business spheres and founder of the 'Strategy Group', analyzes the Likud campaign in the recent elections. According to him, at age 77 Benjamin Netanyahu led an intensive two-week lecture campaign, but behind him stood thousands of activists and volunteers who worked in the field. Piro argues that 'a campaign can be bought with money. Caring, loyalty, and soul cannot be bought.' He criticizes Shas for distancing itself from the traditional public, and Otzma Yehudit for confusing personal popularity with electoral support. In contrast, he praises Bezalel Smotrich and Moshe Feiglin for a campaign of 'clear identity'. Piro notes that he took part in the Likud campaign management and saw the behind-the-scenes work up close.