Likud Launches Election Campaign Amidst Cheers for Netanyahu

The Likud party officially kicked off its election campaign on Thursday evening, September 17, with a celebratory event at the Expo complex in Tel Aviv. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, his wife Sara, and several ministers were in attendance. The event coincided with the Jewish holiday of Rosh Hashanah and the finalization of the party's list for the upcoming parliamentary elections on October 27.

The event, which began approximately two hours behind schedule, drew several hundred Likud supporters. The host, Daniel Assayag, highlighted the party's achievements and invited the party list members and the Prime Minister and his wife to the stage. The Netanyahu couple was met with applause and chants of "Bibi is the King of Israel."

Earlier, police had asked the driver of a van belonging to the "Yashar" party, led by Gadi Eisenkot, to move the vehicle. The van, displaying campaign slogans critical of Netanyahu, was parked near a Likud vehicle featuring the Prime Minister's image. The Yashar slogans included messages like "Only Bibi will ignore warnings before October 7" and "Vote Yashar!". The driver complied with the police request and moved the van to a less conspicuous location on the parking lot, silencing its campaign jingle.

Inside the venue, attendees, many of whom were older, waited patiently for security checks. Light refreshments were served, and ministers mingled with supporters. Videos shown during the event focused solely on Prime Minister Netanyahu, portraying him as a heroic figure fighting Israel's enemies and saving the country, citing actions such as eliminating terrorist leaders and striking Iran. Notably, the events of October 7, 2023, were not mentioned in the campaign materials.