In its latest campaign against Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home), the Likud is planning to attack the candidates on its list which are considered to be more "extreme".
Israeli mainstream media has been criticizing the Jewish Home for supposedly "hiding" some of its candidates and refusing to allow them to be interviewed, while giving other candidates who "sound better" on television much more airtime.
Now, the Likud is planning to use this criticism and point out the "hidden" candidates to the public. These are mostly candidates from the Tekuma party's list, headed by Uri Ariel, which merged with the Jewish Home for the elections.
The online campaign, which will be launched Thursday, will expose some of the views of the Jewish Home's candidates against inclusion of women under the slogan "The Jewish Home Against Women."
It will target, among others, number 4 on the Jewish Home list, Rabbi Eli Ben-Dahan from Tekuma, former director-general of the rabbinical court system, who has called in the past to cancel the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women. The campaign will also name Motti Yogev from the Jewish Home, former director of Bnei Akiva and deputy head of the Binyamin Regional Authority in Samaria for leading "the separation between girls and boys at Bnei Akiva."
The Likud also plans to mention Rabbi Dov Lior, the spiritual leader of Tekuma, who "thinks a woman should not appear in court."
Explaining the reason for the campaign, the Likud said on Wednesday, "Many of those who are considering voting for the Jewish Home are not aware of the party's connection with Tekuma and the people who head it."
The Jewish Home has enjoyed a surge in popularity under Naftali Bennett, and has continued to rise in popularity despite the Likud recently choosing to directly attack Bennett over comments he made regarding eviction of Jews from their homes.
A poll published by Channel 2 News on Tuesday found that the Likud Beytenu continues to drop and presently achieves just 33 seats. The Jewish Home receives 13 seats, making it the Knesset's third largest party.
Responding to the Likud campaign, Jewish Home candidate Ayelet Shaked said on Wednesday night, "The Jewish Home has three women in the first 12 spots on its list, while the Likud has only one woman in these spots. We are the only party in Israel in which women were elected not because of spots reserved for women on the list, but because of their efforts and actions."
Shaked added, "Thanks to this chauvinistic campaign by [Likud Beytenu adviser] Arthur Finkelstein, we'll also be able to get Gila Finkelstein, who is on the 18th spot on our list, into the Knesset. We suggest to the Likud that it look for its opponents elsewhere, and not be drawn into a chauvinist struggle against women."