On May 29, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's convoy pulled up beside the home of Itzik Danino, the mayor of Ofakim and a prominent member of the Likud Party. Dozens of party activists were waiting inside. They had been invited for a private meeting with the prime minister. The mood was excellent, the refreshments were abundant and the people in attendance were treated warmly by Netanyahu. They left feeling flattered, even though nothing of significance was said there.
Netanyahu paid a visit to the town on the country's southern periphery that day to launch a local construction project, together with Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon, but he also used the opportunity for some political "maintenance." He has been doing that a lot recently in other cities in the periphery, which are considered traditional Likud bastions, among them Lod, Givat Shmuel, Beit Shemesh and Acre. These events usually take place in private homes, and attendance is generally limited. All of this is intended to give the guests the feeling that they just had a personal meeting with the prime minister. At Netanyahu's request, his schedule in the coming weeks will be determined in part by visits of this kind.
