Netanyahu Shifts Election Focus Away From October 7 Failings

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party believes the political fallout from the October 7th Hamas attacks is no longer a significant liability for him in the upcoming elections, according to an analysis by Maariv's Anna Barsky. The party's strategy is to shift the election discourse away from accountability for the security failures of that day and towards other issues, such as the potential reliance of rival governments on Arab parties, the cost of living, and national security threats like Iran and Hezbollah.

Likud insiders suggest that any voters who might have been swayed away from Netanyahu due to October 7th have already made their decision. They argue that while the memory of the massacre remains, it has become one factor among many influencing voters, rather than the sole determinant. The party believes that voters who still hold Netanyahu responsible for the events of October 7th are unlikely to change their minds in the final weeks of the campaign.

Despite initial significant drops in polls following the attacks, Likud has seen some recovery, which the party attributes partly to voters' positive assessment of Netanyahu's handling of the subsequent war. The party aims to frame the election around Netanyahu's leadership in confronting external threats like Iran and Hezbollah, arguing this is a stronger platform for him than discussions about his responsibility for the October 7th failures.

Netanyahu's campaign strategy reportedly involves highlighting the potential for a government reliant on Arab parties, a tactic designed to mobilize his base and distract from the October 7th accountability issue. However, the analysis notes that this strategy relies on specific poll interpretations and may not be as solid as Likud presents it. The opposition, meanwhile, also appears to be diversifying its campaign messages, possibly recognizing the diminishing electoral impact of focusing solely on October 7th.

The election outcome on October 27th will reveal whether Likud's assessment of the public mood is accurate, or if voters will ultimately decide they have had enough of Netanyahu's leadership, regardless of other campaign issues.