Inside Israeli Election Campaign Headquarters: Two Parties, Different Tactics
Translated & summarized from Makor Rishon by baba
Two Israeli political parties, "Together" and "Religious Zionism," are employing distinct strategies in their election campaigns. The "Together" party, led by Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, operates from a calm headquarters and uses "parliaments", filmed street debates, to engage with voters and address criticism. The "Religious Zionism" party, headed by Bezalel Smotrich, features a younger, more energetic team and focuses on deep community roots and podcasts to present a softer image. Both parties are targeting undecided voters and addressing past controversies, with their success to be determined on election day.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- The "Together" party uses filmed street debates called "parliaments" to engage voters, while "Religious Zionism" utilizes podcasts.
- The "Together" party's campaign headquarters in Ra'anana is calm, contrasting with the energetic atmosphere at "Religious Zionism's" headquarters near Shoham.
- Bezalel Smotrich claims sole authorship of "Religious Zionism's" plans, emphasizing his deep involvement.
- "Religious Zionism" leverages its strong community ties and events, like a recent visit to Judea and Samaria, to connect with voters.
- Both "Together" and "Religious Zionism" are targeting undecided voters and addressing past controversies to regain trust.
- "Together" focuses on economic and security platforms, while "Religious Zionism" emphasizes legal and security-settlement issues.
Election campaign headquarters are the nerve centers where parties concentrate their best minds, plans, and secrets. Months of work culminate in millions of ballots cast, and parties across Israel are preparing for election day. A review of two distinct campaign operations, those of the "Together" party and the "Religious Zionism" party, reveals contrasting approaches.
The "Together" party's headquarters, located in Ra'anana, presents a calm and organized environment. The campaign, a joint effort between Yair Lapid and Naftali Bennett, has merged resources and operations. However, Bezalel Smotrich runs a separate campaign from his partners, the Identity party and Moshe Feiglin, who operate independently. The "Together" headquarters is well-designed and branded, with a steady flow of mostly older individuals entering and exiting, and few young people in their twenties.
In stark contrast, the "Religious Zionism" campaign headquarters near Shoham is a hive of activity, primarily populated by young men, many wearing kippahs and with sidelocks. Women are present but often in separate rooms or managing affairs from behind the scenes. While "Together" focuses on economic and security platforms, "Religious Zionism" emphasizes legal and security-settlement issues. Liran Avishar-Ben Horin, a candidate for "Together," has been involved in shaping their policy proposals for over two years, focusing on major reforms for Israel. She describes her role as an advisor, fielding constant questions from candidates.
Bezalel Smotrich, on the other hand, claims sole authorship of his party's plans, stating he lives and breathes the campaign despite his roles as Finance Minister and Minister in the Defense Ministry. He asserts his plans are based on genuine action, not last-minute consultations. Both parties are targeting undecided voters, addressing past controversies to regain trust. "Together" focuses on "parliaments," filmed street debates between Bennett and passersby, designed to showcase his engagement with criticism and convert it into an advantage. Maya Ziv-Silver, "Together's" social media manager, explains how these debates, initially born from a desire to show opposition, became a signature format.
The "Religious Zionism" party, led by Smotrich, is tackling voter concerns, particularly regarding the draft law, and combating a perception of aloofness. Omer Rahamim, their campaign manager, highlights the use of podcasts to present a softer, more thoughtful side of Smotrich. The party also leverages its deep roots in community institutions and organizations, exemplified by a successful Sukkot visit to Judea and Samaria that attracted 40,000 visitors. Yehuda Wald, the party's CEO, emphasizes the impact of these direct experiences on voters. "Together" employs "social field" marketing, using social media to promote their ground events and influence public opinion. The effectiveness of these differing strategies, TikTok versus face-to-face engagement, will become clear on election day.