The Likud’s campaign launch event Monday night – which was really just a 45-minute speech by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – mostly consisted of messages that we’ve heard repeatedly in recent weeks, but there was a slight shift.

It’s not just the caveman-patois of “Netanyahu. Strong. Right,” while Blue and White leader Benny Gantz is “Left. Weak,” as Likud campaign videos say. And it’s not just the rhyming “Bibi or Tibi,” referring to one of the best-known Arab members of the Knesset, Ahmed Tibi.

Now, it’s about actively trying to get a bigger slice of the right-wing pie – even if it kills some of Likud’s potential coalition partners. Netanyahu referred to the 41 members of the party’s team for the upcoming election, and we can take that to be his target for seats for the party in the next Knesset. Continue reading