Thread by @AnshelPfeffer

6 weeks to go to Election Day and every time you think Likud can't go any lower, they dive deeper down. This evening on Netanyahu's Facebook LikudTV they're using military graves, blood and bodies to warn of what Israel can expect if Gantz wins on April 9.

"Gantz is left, and left is dangerous"
"More and more violence. More and more killed. That's the meaning of a left-wing government"

This isn't some fringe element of Likud. It's being run from party headquarters and Netanyahu inaugurated the LikudTV "studio" with an adoring interview. The only question is why is he using shock-tactics with 6 weeks still to go to Election Day. 3 possible answers...>>

1. Indictments to be announced within days. Netanyahu frantic to create anti-left vibe before then
2. Likud's own polling showing trend of soft-right voters moving over to Gantz
3. Bibi's professional campaigners have all left. He's surrounded by kids and social media gunslingers

Netanyahu has just put out a statement that the graves, blood and bodies video was an "unfortunate mistake" and that it will be taken down. I'm not aware of any Likud campaign in the past where Netanyahu didn't watch and authorize all clips in advance. No idea if he saw this one>

If Netanyahu saw this clip in advance and authorized, it shows how frantic he is. If he didn't, it shows Likud out of control and Bibi's incapable of being PM, Defence Minister, dealing with his legal issues and running a campaign all at once. Either way, very bad look.

Another reason that Netanyahu is beginning to panic is that he's beginning to realize what I write here in this @haaretzcom analysis - by pulling the entire political spectrum to the right, the centrist opposition is more attractive to soft-right voters
haaretz.com/israel-news/el…