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| Netanyahu Shifts Tactics as Likud Appears to Slip in Israel Election | Netanyahu Shifts Tactics as Likud Appears to Slip in Israel Election |
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| JERUSALEM — When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit this week to the Mahane Yehuda market here, he did not invite the local news media. Instead, selected scenes from his tour were filmed and the video released by his campaign. | JERUSALEM — When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit this week to the Mahane Yehuda market here, he did not invite the local news media. Instead, selected scenes from his tour were filmed and the video released by his campaign. |
| The curious decision to not invite the press stemmed from security concerns, campaign aides said, but Israeli security officials told reporters they had not made the decision. Israeli political commentators concluded that even in this traditional stronghold of support for his conservative Likud Party, Mr. Netanyahu was worried about being heckled. | The curious decision to not invite the press stemmed from security concerns, campaign aides said, but Israeli security officials told reporters they had not made the decision. Israeli political commentators concluded that even in this traditional stronghold of support for his conservative Likud Party, Mr. Netanyahu was worried about being heckled. |
| By Friday, with just days to go before the national elections, the reasons for Mr. Netanyahu’s concern were apparent. Most of the last polls to be published before the vote showed Likud trailing its main rival, the Zionist Union, a center-left slate headed by the Labor Party leader Isaac Herzog and his running running mate, Tzipi Livni, the leader of a small centrist party. | |
| Mr. Herzog and Ms. Livni have agreed to split the four-year term as prime minister if they win, with Mr. Herzog serving in the post for the first two years and Ms. Livni for the second. | Mr. Herzog and Ms. Livni have agreed to split the four-year term as prime minister if they win, with Mr. Herzog serving in the post for the first two years and Ms. Livni for the second. |
| Mr. Netanyahu, who is running for his third consecutive term, and fourth overall, is beginning to confront the very real possibility of a political about-face in Israel. | Mr. Netanyahu, who is running for his third consecutive term, and fourth overall, is beginning to confront the very real possibility of a political about-face in Israel. |
| “If we do not close the gap in the next few days there is indeed a danger that Tzipi Livni and Bougie Herzog will be the next prime ministers,” Mr. Netanyahu said in an interview on Israel’s Channel 2 News on Thursday night, referring to Mr. Herzog by his nickname. | “If we do not close the gap in the next few days there is indeed a danger that Tzipi Livni and Bougie Herzog will be the next prime ministers,” Mr. Netanyahu said in an interview on Israel’s Channel 2 News on Thursday night, referring to Mr. Herzog by his nickname. |
| Political analysts say that the widening gap in the polls could work two ways, infusing the Zionist Union campaign with more momentum or creating a degree of complacency on the left while spurring disenchanted Likud supporters to renew their support for Mr. Netanyahu. | Political analysts say that the widening gap in the polls could work two ways, infusing the Zionist Union campaign with more momentum or creating a degree of complacency on the left while spurring disenchanted Likud supporters to renew their support for Mr. Netanyahu. |
| In addition, under Israel’s multiparty system, the winner of the election is not necessarily the leader of the largest party but the party leader who has the best chance of forming a governing coalition that will command at least 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, or Parliament. Mr. Netanyahu is generally considered to have more of what he calls “natural partners” for a government. Mr. Herzog would have to get some small and medium-size parties that are hostile to each other to agree to sit together. He insists that, given a chance, his talent for team-building will prove itself. | In addition, under Israel’s multiparty system, the winner of the election is not necessarily the leader of the largest party but the party leader who has the best chance of forming a governing coalition that will command at least 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, or Parliament. Mr. Netanyahu is generally considered to have more of what he calls “natural partners” for a government. Mr. Herzog would have to get some small and medium-size parties that are hostile to each other to agree to sit together. He insists that, given a chance, his talent for team-building will prove itself. |
| Either way, the public dynamic seems to have been shifting against Mr. Netanyahu. | Either way, the public dynamic seems to have been shifting against Mr. Netanyahu. |
| In polls published in Friday’s editions of the newspapers Yediot Aharonot and Maariv newspapers, the Zionist Union was projected to win by four seats in the Knesset over Likud — 26 to 22 in Yediot, and 25 to 21 in Maariv. The Maariv poll found that 72 percent of Israelis believe that Israel is in need of a change of direction, regardless of who would be the next prime minister. | In polls published in Friday’s editions of the newspapers Yediot Aharonot and Maariv newspapers, the Zionist Union was projected to win by four seats in the Knesset over Likud — 26 to 22 in Yediot, and 25 to 21 in Maariv. The Maariv poll found that 72 percent of Israelis believe that Israel is in need of a change of direction, regardless of who would be the next prime minister. |
| A poll by Israel Radio’ that was released on Friday also showed the Zionist Union leading. | A poll by Israel Radio’ that was released on Friday also showed the Zionist Union leading. |
| Mr. Herzog has emerged as an increasingly credible candidate for the post of prime minister in recent weeks, largely capitalizing on Mr. Netanyahu’s failures to address the daily concerns of millions of Israelis over the high cost of living and a lack of reasonably priced housing. | Mr. Herzog has emerged as an increasingly credible candidate for the post of prime minister in recent weeks, largely capitalizing on Mr. Netanyahu’s failures to address the daily concerns of millions of Israelis over the high cost of living and a lack of reasonably priced housing. |
| Mr. Netanyahu has focused on his credentials as a strong leader best able to protect Israelis against the potential nuclear threat of Iran and other enemies. | Mr. Netanyahu has focused on his credentials as a strong leader best able to protect Israelis against the potential nuclear threat of Iran and other enemies. |
| But even on the security front Mr. Netanyahu has found himself challenged, with his critics accusing him of fraying Israel’s ties with its most crucial ally, the United States, over the Iranian issue. | But even on the security front Mr. Netanyahu has found himself challenged, with his critics accusing him of fraying Israel’s ties with its most crucial ally, the United States, over the Iranian issue. |
| “You and you alone turned the United States from an ally into an enemy,” Shabtai Shavit, a former chief of the Mossad spy agency, said in a blistering statement addressed to Mr. Netanyahu at a news conference with several other former security chiefs and retired commanders in Tel Aviv this week. | “You and you alone turned the United States from an ally into an enemy,” Shabtai Shavit, a former chief of the Mossad spy agency, said in a blistering statement addressed to Mr. Netanyahu at a news conference with several other former security chiefs and retired commanders in Tel Aviv this week. |
| Another retired Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, has also come out of the shadows on a mission to unseat Mr. Netanyahu. At an opposition rally attended by tens of thousands of people in Tel Aviv last Saturday night, Mr. Dagan, who is known to be unwell, captivated the audience by delivering a keynote speech with tears in his eyes. | Another retired Mossad chief, Meir Dagan, has also come out of the shadows on a mission to unseat Mr. Netanyahu. At an opposition rally attended by tens of thousands of people in Tel Aviv last Saturday night, Mr. Dagan, who is known to be unwell, captivated the audience by delivering a keynote speech with tears in his eyes. |
| “Israel is surrounded by enemies,” he told the crowd. “Enemies do not scare me; I worry about our leadership.” He said what he most feared was “a lack of vision, a lack of direction and determination, and a dearth of exemplary leadership.” | “Israel is surrounded by enemies,” he told the crowd. “Enemies do not scare me; I worry about our leadership.” He said what he most feared was “a lack of vision, a lack of direction and determination, and a dearth of exemplary leadership.” |
| In Mr. Netanyahu’s interview on Channel 2, part of a hurried media blitz meant to try to turn the electoral tide, the prime minister retorted that Mr. Dagan’s complaints “did not get in his way of asking me twice to extend his position under my leadership as prime minister.” | In Mr. Netanyahu’s interview on Channel 2, part of a hurried media blitz meant to try to turn the electoral tide, the prime minister retorted that Mr. Dagan’s complaints “did not get in his way of asking me twice to extend his position under my leadership as prime minister.” |
| Mr. Netanyahu acknowledged that he had made mistakes by not doing enough to control the cost of living and he promised to flood Israel with apartments if re-elected. | Mr. Netanyahu acknowledged that he had made mistakes by not doing enough to control the cost of living and he promised to flood Israel with apartments if re-elected. |
| Despite the Likud campaign’s efforts to avoid public criticism of Mr. Netanyahu during his visit to the Mahane Yehuda market, one vendor did manage to register a personal protest. Mr. Netanyahu stopped at a coffee shop and ordered a cappuccino, which he paid for with a 100-shekel bill, worth about $25. The coffee shop owner later told Israeli television that she had given him 87 shekels back in small coins to remind him that while he speaks about Iran, “we, the independent business owners in the country, are conscious of the daily difficulties of getting by, even for small change.” | Despite the Likud campaign’s efforts to avoid public criticism of Mr. Netanyahu during his visit to the Mahane Yehuda market, one vendor did manage to register a personal protest. Mr. Netanyahu stopped at a coffee shop and ordered a cappuccino, which he paid for with a 100-shekel bill, worth about $25. The coffee shop owner later told Israeli television that she had given him 87 shekels back in small coins to remind him that while he speaks about Iran, “we, the independent business owners in the country, are conscious of the daily difficulties of getting by, even for small change.” |