Israel’s Homegrown Houdini Finally Hits Limit to Political Magic
- Netanyahu campaign messaging was stale, had unintended effects
- With election outcome still undecided, too early to eulogize
Benjamin Netanyahu addresses supporters at his Likud party's electoral campaign headquarters early on Sept. 18.
Photographer: Jack Guez/AFP via Getty Images
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Benjamin Netanyahu’s unrivaled deftness as an Israeli political operator has deserted him.
The nation’s longest-serving prime minister is holding on for his political life following a disappointing showing in Tuesday’s near dead-heat election, and his political messaging is largely to blame. He trotted out tried-and-true tactics like bashing Arabs and a narrative of his own indispensability, but this time they came up short.