Judging by the following remarks made by various left-wing figures, an arrogant, condescending leftist must be a "peace activist," while a right-winger must be a superstitious Neanderthal. In their view, this is not racism; it is the state of being cultured. • Author and cultural figure Alona Kimhi: "Every people has the leadership it deserves. Long live stupidity, maliciousness and false consciousness. Drink some cyanide, f---ing Neanderthals. You won. Only death will save you from yourselves" (March 18, 2015). • Haaretz columnist Gideon Levy: "The people need to be replaced. We don't need an election to choose the leadership of the country; we need a general election to choose the new Israeli people. [Prime Minister Benjamin] Netanyahu deserves the people of Israel and the people of Israel deserve Netanyahu" (Haaretz, March 18, 2015). • Zionist Union leader Isaac Herzog: "The result we managed to achieve makes it possible to effect an upset. ... Based on the exit polls, we can return to power, but we will wait for the final tally" (TheMarker, March 17, 2015). • Channel 10 commentator Raviv Drucker: "The [election] results landed on me like a ton of bricks. It is possible that the polls that predicted a victory for the Zionist Union on Friday shifted by nine to 10 seats in the span of three days. But if so, that is half of Netanyahu's power. Perhaps this was in fact the trend and we just didn't see it because we live in la-la land (March 18, 2015). • Pollster Camil Fuchs on the failure of the exit polls: "When I was told the actual results I thought I was going to die
especially because I was personally disappointed that Herzog lost the opportunity to form a government" (TheMarker, March 18, 2015). • Haaretz columnist Uri Misgav: "Initial insights from an enormous political failure and a disgraceful professional failure" (Haaretz, March 18, 2015). And before the election: • Haaretz columnist Yossi Verter: "The public feels it has had its fill of Netanyahu" (Haaretz, March 13, 2015). • Yedioth Ahronoth columnist Nahum Barnea: "Israelis have grown tired of Netanyahu. They have had enough of him and he has had enough of them. After nine years as prime minister, and after 22 years in the headlines, the magic is gone" (Yedioth Ahronoth, March 13, 2015). • Media industry website Ice: "Has Netanyahu's reign come to an end? Doomsday V15 video burns up the Internet: Bibi's negative momentum" (March 12, 2015). • The anti-Netanyahu campaign peaks when a satirical newspaper named "Israel Mahar" ("Israel Tomorrow," a play on Israel Hayom, "Israel Today") features the headline "Saying goodbye to Netanyahu." The distribution of this fake newspaper was orchestrated by Zionist Union media adviser Eyal Arad and the New Majority organization (March 12, 2015). • Cultural figure Yair Garbuz: "Superstitious amulet kissers are running this country. How is it that such a minority controls us-" (March 8, 2015). • Author Amos Oz: "I am guilty for Netanyahu's behavior -- I kicked him in the head when he was three years old. Either I kicked too hard, or not hard enough" (TheMarker, Feb. 14, 2015). • Zionist Union leader Tzipi Livni in a veiled criticism against Netanyahu: "Herzog and I will take out the trash together" (Channel 10 satirical program "Matzav Ha'uma," Feb. 14, 2014). • Yesh Atid leader Yair Lapid: "Netanyahu will not be prime minister again. It is over" (Ynet, March 11, 2015). • Channel 2 commentator Amnon Abramovich: "It looks as if Netanyahu has grown tired of the people, and the people have grown tired of him" (Globes, March 16, 2015).
