“Israel’s foreign relations are flourishing and have hit an unprecedented … all-time record,” boasted Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at a Dec. 17 meeting of his Likud party’s Knesset members. “We have tremendous accomplishments [from] around the world, including the Arab world, which we never had before,” bragged Foreign Minister Netanyahu. “We are protecting Israel as an island of calm,” continued Defense Minister Netanyahu in the same vein. Netanyahu's remarks were prominently reported the following day by Israel Hayom, the newspaper owned by the family of American casino mogul Sheldon Adelson and distributed free on every street corner in Israel.

Given all this, how is it possible that 52% of Israelis do not want such a successful prime, foreign and defense minister to lead them for another four-year term, as revealed a Hadashot TV poll conducted Dec. 25? How does one explain the fact that only 37% of the public thinks that such an outstanding leader is fit to rule them, as found a poll conducted the same day by Kan TV, Israel’s public broadcaster? Who are the mean-spirited people turning the public against a man who dedicates his life to defending them and also against his party even as a Dec. 25 Channel 10 poll gives the Likud 30 Knesset seats?

Judging by Netanyahu’s past statements, the list of usual suspects certainly includes the American Hungarian liberal billionaire George Soros and the New Israel Fund, left-wing Israeli organizations, the European Union, jurists and purists. Topping the list are the media.

The media — print and online newspapers, television and radio — have plotted, Netanyahu claims, to mislead the public. They have joined forces to conceal from Israelis the abundance endowed upon them by Netanyahu and his wife, Sara, and turned them against the couple with tall tales of non-existent corruption. This will probably be the Likud party’s primary narrative in the upcoming election campaign.