Israel Matzav

The Likud still hasn't learned

The Likud did not learn from its last attack on Naftali Bennett, which only brought Bennett's Jewish Home party more votes (at least in the polls). Now, the Likud is kicking off a campaign to depict the Jewish Home party as not being a home for women. Sounds like something Tzipi Livni would dream up.

According to the report, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s party was changing its strategy vis-a-vis Naftali Bennett’s Jewish Home party and, rather than attack its leader, target the rest of the party members’ policies. Its was scheduled to publish ads decrying the Jewish Home as being misogynistic.

Education Minister Gideon Sa’ar struck the first blow on Wednesday by intimating that voting for the Jewish Home party would be harmful to women. He said voters have to choose between parties that advance the status of women and those that do not.

Speaking at an event at Bar-Ilan University, Sa’ar suggested that certain members of the Jewish Home list do not have women’s best interests at heart. “Each voter needs to decide if it’s a vote for Likud-Beytenu, which has five past and present heads of the Knesset Committee for the Advancement for Women.”

He then specifically mentioned Jewish Home’s number four candidate, Rabbi Ben Dahan, who called for the cancellation of the Knesset women’s committee, and Motty Yogav, number nine, for encouraging gender separation in youth groups.

He also mentioned Jewish Home spiritual leader Rabbi Dov Lior, who said in 2010 that female attorneys should not to appear in court.

The Likud - or at least the people running its campaign - still don't get it. The only way they will staunch the flow of votes to Jewish Home is to appear more Right than Jewish Home.  That means attacking Labor and Livni, and attacking Jewish Home for things like being willing to abandon Areas A and B to the 'Palestinian Authority.'

What could go wrong?

Labels: Jewish Home party, Knesset elections 2013, Likud party

posted by Carl in Jerusalem @ 10:33 AM