Netanyahu campaign draws accusations of incitement
Source: Associated Press
Netanyahu campaign draws accusations of incitement
By ARON HELLER
March 9, 2019
JERUSALEM (AP) When Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has run into political trouble in the past, he has lashed out at the media, the political opposition and Israels Arab minority with incendiary and divisive language to galvanize his nationalist base.
Ahead of April 9 elections, Netanyahu has zoned in on prominent Arab lawmaker Ahmad Tibi.
The Israeli leader, slumping in the polls after the dramatic announcement of his pending corruption indictment, is portraying Tibi as a threat to national security in a charged campaign that critics say questions the loyalty of the countrys Arab citizens.
Using his own nickname, Netanyahu has been repeating a campaign mantra: Bibi or Tibi. The snappy slogan, eagerly parroted by his hard-line allies, highlights Netanyahus efforts to paint his challengers as weak leftists conspiring with Arab Israelis and a hostile media to oust him.
It also shines a spotlight on Tibi an affable, media-savvy political veteran who speaks fluent Hebrew. Tibi is known for his harsh criticism of government policies toward the countrys Arab citizens and toward Palestinians who live under Israeli control in territories Israel captured in 1967.
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